Dojoji

“I have no idea what it means or why it’s this or why that way. Words are ambiguous, and dance is more ambiguous than words.” -Yasuko Yokoshi

We all remain defiant to the end.
The little farm girl who was punished
For not pumping water for the dishes
Is the woman in the elder hostel
Who flings her cup of water back.

The daughter of that woman,
Always made to eat Quaker Oats
For breakfast and never
Allowed television, is the mother
Of three daughters raised
On sweetened cereals and unlimited
Viewings of Cinderella videos.

The third husband of three wives
Who were never happy with him
Or his endless puttering at chores
Is the old man who takes an hour
To run an errand around the corner,
Always stopping to chatter with strangers.

The strange serving girl in love
With the nobleman priest
Who rejects her, is the burning
Serpent curled around the bell
In which he hides until he dies,

Defiant to her as she to him,
As child to parent, spouse to spouse,
Young to old, old to young,
Defiant for no known reason
To the end.