Path　May2017　96×86×4cm　mixed media（Ref:Talk-53）
　
　
I came back alone to my hometown Matsuyama after retirement in April 2014. I left my family in Tokyo, which was never my intention but it couldn’t be helped. A succession of difficulties started in that way as Mary predicted in 1983 saying, 「・・・あなたにはそれが課せられております（You are ordained to do so…）」 Anyway, Matsuyama is a mecca of haiku (5-7-5 syllable poem). I was never a haiku-person but once it happened to me to join a nearby haiku circle in April 2017. And this was the very first piece I had ever composed.　「ボケ老人俳句歌いつ徘徊す」 “Don’t joke!”, only to get scolded. I know this cannot be a haiku, being out of traditional authenticity. I just made fun of myself pretending to be a man of senility, punning in sarcasm. Silly though, I really needed such jokes back then…sorry.
　
“Find me. Find yourself in me. Here is the path.” … Sorry again. The second “haiku” was spoken in English. No way, in English! But this is not a joke. I don’t know what to say. This “haiku” is what I heard from a weed…Mary, I think. I really don’t care if you believe this personification of deity or not, but just listen to my story, please. I was taking a walk one day in May 2017, worried about my miserable situation here in Matsuyama, when something suggested me to take a different course. There was no other trodden way. I waded through the bush into the woods. After a while, suddenly I came in to a spot. It felt somewhat brighter there in total serenity. Then I heard a voice calling me. I turned around towards the voice. Nobody was there but I found an unknown tiny weed standing stark alone. And it spoke to me! … “Find me. Find yourself in me. Here is the path” … I took it, hurried back to my studio and completed the work by putting it in the aureole. Then I titled this work−Path.
　
　

At a nearby café bar restaurant
　
　

In my studio house

I step up to my studio looking at Path as Ryu-jinjya watches me, then Stray is to chase after me.