The Way Of The Dragon by Chris Bradford

she said quietly, ‘and I will be teaching you
haiku
.’
    The announcement provoked a mixed reaction from the class. Many of the students were disappointed, while a few looked absolutely delighted with the news.
    ‘What’s
haiku
?’ whispered Jack, seeing that Yori had already picked up his brush in eager anticipation.
    ‘Poetry,’ groaned Saburo in response.
    Sensei Nakamura’s eyes turned upon Saburo and he fell silent under her stern gaze.
    ‘For those unfamiliar with the form,’ continued Sensei Nakamura, addressing the class, ‘let me explain its main principles.
Haiku
is a short poem, usually consisting of seventeen sound syllables, in which it should be possible to deduce the season. However, these basic rules may be disregarded, for it is the spirit of
haiku
that counts above all.’
    Sensei Nakamura picked up a piece of paper by her side and read slowly from it.
‘Flying of cranes
    as high as the clouds –
    first sunrise.’

    Several of the students began a respectful round of applause at the verse and everyone else soon joined in. Sensei Nakamura gave a slight incline of the head to show her appreciation.
    ‘
Haiku
is a keen observation of the world around you,’ she lectured. ‘A great
haiku
verse should pin the moment; express the timelessness of it.’
    She extracted another sheet from her pile and in a voice that seemed to whisper into each individual’s ear, she read:
‘Look! A butterfly
    has settled on the shoulder
    of the great Buddha.’

    This time every student applauded.
    Yori leant over in excitement to Kiku and enthused, ‘Did you hear how Sensei compared the fleeting nature of a butterfly with the eternal Buddha? Suggesting there’s no difference between a living being and the embodiment of life in a stone statue.’
    ‘Yes,’ agreed Kiku breathlessly. ‘Magical!’
    Saburo rolled his eyes at Jack. ‘So, it’s “Yori the Poet” now, is it?’ he teased good-humouredly.
    Jack laughed. They all knew Yori was the eager scholar, being the only one among them who could solve Sensei Yamada’s
koan
challenges. The riddles the Zen master set each week seemed impossible, yet somehow Yori always came up with an answer.
    A sharp clap of Sensei Nakamura’s hands ceased the chatter.
    ‘As I’ve demonstrated,
haiku
is to look closely at the world around us and our place within that world. Now I want you all to attempt your own
haiku
. Think about a moment in your life and capture it in a poem. Don’t worry about form. Focus on the spirit. Try to leave yourself out of it. No thoughts. No opinions. Just let it be.’
    Everybody studiously bent their heads to the desks and began preparing their ink blocks to write.
    Jack did the same, but had no idea what he was supposed to write about. He stared out of the window at the afternoon sun warming the green tiles of the Buddha Hall opposite.
    His concentration began to drift.
    Kazuki’s threats earlier that day played on his mind. The news
daimyo
Kamakura was offering rewards to hunt down Christians was worrying. While he was relatively safe under Masamoto’s protection inside the
Niten Ichi Ryū
, he was now fearful that
anyone
might try to attack him, not just samurai loyal to
daimyo
Kamakura.
    The situation in Japan appeared to be getting worse, but what else could he do other than let matters run their course? When he’d first been suspended from school, Jack had considered heading to Nagasaki to try and find a ship bound for England. There had seemed little point in staying if he couldn’t continue his samurai training and learn the Two Heavens. Yet he knew it was foolish of him to think he could make it all the way to Nagasaki on his own, half-trained. With no food, money or weapons, he wasn’t likely to survive much beyond the outskirts of Kyoto. Besides, every time he thought about leaving something held him back. After two years in Japan, he realized he’d become attached to the place. More importantly, he owed his life to