(These are chapters 1 and 2 of a 7-chapter poem, currently still in progress, called "Tekizai, Son of Heaven." "Tekizai" is a Japanese word which means something like "the right man for the job" or "chosen man.")
Chapter 1: Divine Will
Two hundred years ago today
On Asian island shore,
Unfolds the tale of Tekizai,
A man some said was born to die,
Whose fate men cursed and called awry,
For heaven smote him sore.
Ten years and five was Tekizai
Before his griefs began.
A fisher's son, who loved the sea,
With all its might and mystery,
He promised well a man.
Ten years and five was Tekizai
Before his fortune failed.
His father then had found a maid
named Yoko, whom her family bade
To go to Tekizai in trade
for certain sums detailed.
The night before the lucky moon
which marked the wedding day
A fire razed the bridegroom's home
And swept his hopes away.
What panic from the piercing bell!
What smoke, lit from below!
The choke of ash and ember red
Blew all about Tekizai's bed
Like flakes of hellish snow.
His father, and his mother too
were lost to heaven's will.
And Tekizai himself was scarred
But him it did not kill.
The raging wreck took all he had
And maimed his face and hands.
No wealth was left to Tekizai
And sight he kept in but one eye
Which wept for his poor plans.
For Yoko, at her father's word
did break the wedding trust.
"An evil destiny" thought she,
"Brought harm to him, and may to me,
or strike my soul to dust."
His former friends now called him cursed
His deformed frame they fled.
And ever anon, some wag would cry
“The gods have judged that Tekizai
To live alone with sea and sky
And make his boat his bed.”
For naught was left to Tekizai
Save one boat by the shore.
Thus he sought solace on the sea,
Where none could see his face and flee
Or taunt him anymore.
And in the ashes of his house
The outcast made his den.
Rebuilt with bits of wood and stone
A shelter where he dwelt alone
And heard the waves’ monotonous moan
Away from eyes of men.
Ere half a year from flames had passed
Fair Yoko's match was found.
A man who dressed in scarlet thread
And in his mansion made his bed,
Not hated, but renowned.
And once upon a rural road
By chance or divine will
The two men met within the way
As they came 'round a hill.
No contrast could be greater
Than such wealth, and weary rags
The smooth skin of an easy life
The tortured scars of death and strife
Marked out the men like flags.
And Tekizai, who would not speak
Did see his rival sneer
And scoff at hands and face so scarred
And thank the gods he was not marred:
Too much in heaven's high regard
To feel fate so severe.
The rich man crushed the cripple's heart
While heaven, mute, looked on.
At just that moment, Tekizai,
Who swore that he would rather die,
Beheld a band of samurai
Some journey then upon.
Provoking them with voice and eye
He swore and drew them in,
Then dared one to unsheathe his sword
And cut him, nave to chin.
The samurai, offended much
Would each have had their turn
Had not their leader intervened
And cursed the madman for a fiend
Which all his men should spurn.
They beat him, but held off their swords,
As from unworthy blood.
"Not fit to fight or fall is he"
Said their commander scornfully
"So leave him in the mud."
That thing they did, and Tekizai
did crawl back to his hole.
The bruises on his face he washed
But not those on his soul.
Chapter 2: Intertwining Fates
Away across the seas of time
Rolled on the outcast's days.
'till thirty years his eye had seen
Though little he cared what passed between
His past and present ways.
And yet one change, like springtime sun
Did warm his winter sky.
A certain youth, in these late years
who cared not for the townsfolk's fears
was known to linger by the piers
And talk with Tekizai.
This boy was Ishin, Yoko's son
Who found no joy in wealth,
But ever to the silent sea
So full of might and mystery
He stepped away by stealth.
And Tekizai, although his heart
was hard as ancient stone,
Spoke always kindly to the boy
And felt no more alone.
For never did the cripple come
or anchor boat to shore
But that Ishin was waiting there
To speak of sailing more.
One evening, Ishin, running fast,
In waning sun not high,
Came not to speak of fish or tides
Or depths where deep behemoth hides
But rather panting, held his sides
and shouted "Tekizai!"
"A stranger in the town square stands
Like none have seen before!
His skin like lotus petals pale
His eyes like rounded eggs of quail
His coat in folds like padded mail
Come see this thing of lore!"
Up and away the odd pair went
Ishin and Tekizai
The sons of two opposing fates
Passed empty streets and stalls and gates
While all the town ran by.
For everyone, from first to last
Would see the foreign man.
The two could only pass the crowd
Because shrewd Ishin cried aloud
That Tekizai, with curse endowed
Would burn them and their clan.
And ere too long, the pair could stand
As close as they would dare.
They saw the man with eyes so round
And lo! He spoke, with stammering sound
In accent strange, with look profound
To all those in the square.
"My name is Jon, new friends of mine!
May all you have increase!
Doctor I am, from a distant land
Under a certain king's command
There called the Prince of Peace."
"I have good gifts and medicines
Which I would share with all,
And words of wisdom from this book"
(which out from strange-sown bag he took)
"To bless the poor and small."
Straightway he held his book aloft;
And likewise raised his voice:
"The spirit of the Lord in me
Proclaims the year of liberty,
And bids the brokenhearted be
Set free from all their misery!
Let those who mourn rejoice!"
A murmur in the crowd arose
Yet none these words received.
From such outlandish tongue and dress
They could not be believed.
Seeing his hearers unconvinced
Jon spoke, "friends, let me stay;
Let me earn trust within one home
If all else keep away."
The noise throughout the crowd did grow
And some began shout
"This is an evil spirit's form
That preys on the devout. "
"A tengu from the mountains come
Or yokai from the mist,
Or else an oni from the graves
Where men and demons tryst."
In blind and superstitious fear
Such things they said and more
Until Ishin to Jon did dash,
(Which turned poor Yoko pale as ash)
And silence did implore.
"Let this man stay with Tekizai
and cursed with cursed abide!"
So spake the youth beyond his years
And bundled up the townsfolk's fears
In one dark hole to hide.
A chorus of approval rose
Though Tekizai was shocked.
But ere he could protest such stay
All other doors were locked.
The square did clear for nervous fear;
While Yoko swept her son.
Meanwhile her husband standing by
Cast looks at Jon with a trembling eye
And with his flowing robes did try
To leave, but not to run.
Then only Jon and Tekizai,
Like two lost birds remained.
Strange Jon in peace put out his hand
And said "good sir, with you I'll stand
And count a good friend gained."
But Tekizai gave answer not.
With one good eye he glared.
His burned hands stayed within his coat
And all fair words stuck in his throat
While Jon stood, shoulders squared.
For Jon was not afraid of scars
Nor harms of any kind.
So strange was this to Tekizai
From whom the very dogs did fly
That he relented by and by
And spoke his skeptic mind:
"What man you are I do not know,
If you be man at all.
Yet many a year, I've known no friend
(Save Ishin, whom the gods did send)
Therefore this way, and homeward tend,
Though home be but a stall."
Then Jon picked up his bags and laughed
"a stall works well for me!
My Lord was born with lesser show
Of hospitality."
That night, and seven nights beyond
In Tekizai's rude shed
The doctor Jon said sundry prayers
And then laid down his head.
By day he stood within the square
and spoke from his strange book.
He offered too, his medicines
But few were used or took.
And Tekizai was well amazed
For he despised all gods.
He knew not what had caused his fate-
Could hardly tell which gods to hate-
Yet felt stung by their rods.
Yet many nights, at his request,
Before Jon stayed or slept,
The outcast bade the doctor read
The book from which he took his creed
With all its hope for those in need
And joy for those who wept.
And night by night, a tempest grew
Within the wounded heart.
The howling gale did rend and wail
At hopes that tried to start.
Yet night by night, he listened still
And still the tempest grew.
Until the last night of Jon's stay
The raging storm broke through.
"The son of heaven came" said Jon
"To seek and save the lost.
He works all ills and fates for good;
He bore our curse upon the wood
and counted not the cost."
Like steam amid the blacksmith's works
when water finds the flame
So Tekizai's own anger smoked,
and ancient bitterness was stoked
with fifteen years of shame.
"A son of heaven! Who is he?"
(The words were hot with scorn!)
What loss of mine could he restore?
And yet you say my curse he bore?
Strange then, for fifteen years or more
He's left me lone to mourn.
For what has Heaven had for me
save wrath and troubles grim?
Man! If you serve a god of fate
I want no more from him!"
Then Tekizai no more could speak
But turned to hide his face.
And Jon, who saw his words repelled
Made silent prayers for grace.
The morning next, in azure gloom
Jon packed his things to leave.
By vessel bound across the bay
To other towns he'd make his way,
But not before he kneeled to pray,
"May Tekizai believe."
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