Gag Novel: Master of Haiku | Episode 8

Episode 8: The Mist of Dewa Sanzan and a Dialogue of Souls

At the Mogami River boat landing, Komachi, having learned the joy of pouring her soul into her haiku, began to harbor a new purpose for her journey. 'Debunking' was no longer her only goal. Her 5-7-5 verses were becoming tools for facing the scenery, the people, and her own heart. With these thoughts in mind, Komachi stepped into the Dewa Sanzan.

The Dewa Sanzan—Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan, and Mount Yudono—have been known since ancient times as a sacred ground for ascetics, drifting with a mysterious atmosphere wrapped in mist. As she climbed the approach to Mount Haguro, Komachi was overwhelmed by the moss-covered stone steps and the giant cedar trees towering on both sides. The wind shook the trees, and the sound of a bell echoed from somewhere far away. However, what came out of Komachi's mouth was her usual tone.

“Whoa, what is this! It looks super sacred, but I can't see a thing because of the mist! What are you going to do if I slip on these stone steps!”

Her voice echoed along the path, and a young ascetic who had been sweeping nearby looked up. Dressed in white ascetic robes and wearing a folded eboshi cap, the boy was about the same age as Komachi. He stopped the bamboo broom in his hand and stared quietly at Komachi.

“To speak like that to a pilgrim. These Dewa Sanzan are sacred grounds for purifying the soul. They are not to be defiled by frivolous words.”

Komachi twitched her eyebrows and grinned.

“Oh, kid, you're pretty serious, aren't you! But hey, while this mist and these stone steps are certainly mysterious, aren't they a bit inconvenient? I'm the one who can really nail it with a soul-filled 5-7-5 in a place like this! Want to compete? Let's have a serious haiku showdown with the theme of Dewa Sanzan!”

The boy looked surprised for a moment, but he quickly returned to a calm expression and nodded.

“...Very well. Exchanging souls through haiku on this sacred mountain is also a path of ascetic practice. However, my haiku resonates with the gods of the mountain. Let's see if your haiku can reach that level.”

Other pilgrims climbing the path began to gather with interest, saying, “Oh, a haiku battle!” The boy set his broom aside, looked up at the mist-covered path, and quietly recited a haiku.

Mount Haguro, embraced by mist, the breath of the gods

Boy

The moment he finished reciting, a sigh of admiration escaped from the pilgrims. It was a haiku that concisely and solemnly expressed the sacred presence lurking in the mist. For a moment, Komachi held her breath at the serene beauty of the verse. However, she quickly pulled herself together and tapped her twig staff against the ground.

“Hmph, not bad, but it's a bit too quiet! Dewa Sanzan is a place where your soul should be shaken up more, right? I'll show you that power with my haiku!”

Komachi took a pebble from her wrapping cloth and closed her eyes while holding it. The coldness of the mist, the scent of the cedars, the sound of the bell echoing in the distance, and the beating of her own heart. With the 'weight' she learned in Shirakawa, the 'imagination' she felt in Matsushima, the 'soul' she grasped in Sendai, and the 'melody' that echoed at the Mogami River—carrying all of that in her heart, she twisted out a haiku.

In the mist of the three mountains, our souls resonate together

Komachi

The moment she finished reciting, a great round of applause erupted from the worshippers. The verse, which powerfully expressed the communion of souls within the mist, brilliantly fused the mystery of the mountain with Komachi's own passion. The boy narrowed his eyes and nodded quietly.

"...Impressive. Your verse echoes with the sanctity of this mountain and the cry of your own soul. But I will not lose yet. These Dewa Sanzan mountains are a place to purify the soul. With one more verse, I shall recite that depth."

The boy held his broom again and stared intently at Mount Gassan, which towered beyond the mist. Then, he recited in a low, yet powerful voice.

Walking the misty path of Mount Gassan, oh, the souls

Boy

The worshippers murmured again. It was a verse that quietly yet powerfully expressed the spirit of ascetic practice, where the soul is purified through the mist. Komachi was at a loss for words, letting out a small, "Ugh." She felt as if the "depth" she had sensed in the shamisen player's verse at the Mogami River had been thrust upon her once again. The boy's verse possessed a quiet purity, different from her own soul that cried out.

"Damn it, I don't want to lose! I can feel the soul of this mountain too! I'll recite one more, putting everything I've got into it!"

Komachi took a deep breath and stood on the mist-covered approach to the shrine. The sound of bells, the rustling of the wind, and the stirring within herself. They became one, creating a new resonance in her heart. She slowly closed her eyes and raised her voice.

Purely, I run through the mist, Dewa Sanzan

Komachi

Applause rang out, and the boy also smiled quietly.

"...You are no mere traveler. You have faced the gods of this mountain and made your soul shine. Your verse resonated in my heart as well."

Komachi scratched her head, looking embarrassed.

"Heh, heh! Well, I guess I felt the greatness of this mountain just a little bit? But, rather than a debate, it felt more like... we were talking with our souls together?"

The boy nodded deeply.

"That is the teaching of these Dewa Sanzan mountains. Through verse, souls converse and are purified. You have already begun to walk that path."

Komachi shouldered her furoshiki bundle again and climbed further up the misty path. Her journey was changing from one of debate to one of soul-to-soul dialogue. Where would the next stage be? And with what kind of verse would she resonate with what kind of soul? Komachi's journey continues, growing ever deeper.

...to be continued

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