A New Year's Card
In the mid summer of 1974, we moved to
this city
(16 years have passed since then as of this writing)
After installing the furniture in the new residence and
Arranging many things in the drawers or boxes
I unexpectedly found an old postcard
It was a New Year's card dated January 1, l964
From a teacher in my middle high school days
It bears no letters on the corresponding page, but
Shown is a woodblock print of
The Goddess of Mercy from the waist up
(If my memory is correct, the teacher passed away
suddenly in early spring of this year of 1964, ending
his life as a devoted teacher of art in my remote home
town)
"Look, I found this figure of beauty, but somehow I feel
sad" I said
Showing it to a friend of mine
"Never happen, this is nothing more than his idea of the
feminine figure" said he taking a glance at it.
"Oh, yeah? Maybe .......Yeah, it is" murmuring
I had to agree but a small question remained as to how
and why the sensation of deep prayer seemed to emit from
the picture, which lasts to this day in my mind
Afterwards, I put the picture into a frame and hung it
on a wall close to me, never moving it, despite many
other changes since then