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Arthur Sze/

Listening to Incense

Rim of a teabowl resembling the contours of a mountain ridge— a sous-chef skewers twitching prawns then grills them— charred cedar planks lining a house— in your hands, the warmth of a teabowl with whisked matcha— the sound of waves of an inland sea— savoring a rice cake in the shape of a persimmon— scent of sea urchin as he stares into a bowl— rippling water, green islands, cloud islands in the sky’s sea— a white crane flies up from the tawny beach— cupping the bowl in his left hand, he turns it twice with his right— waking to the sound of ducks on the river— biting into roasted chestnut and seeing purple— sunlight filtering through leaves onto the forest floor— teabowl with oil spot tenmoku glaze fired in an anagama kiln— shaking a cocoon and rolling a silkworm inside— we make a tatami room everywhere— walking a path lined with cherry trees that will blossom in spring— sandalwood incense rising out of a cauldron—
Arthur Sze

Arthur Sze is the twenty-fifth poet laureate of the United States. His latest book of poetry is Into the Hush.

Read More:
November 2026, Poetry, Magazine