Hinotama (火の玉)

by Brandon Shimoda

Hinotama  by Brandon Shimoda

The ball of light that bounced above the concentration camp
held   in its patience
the memory of the unusual flower

the Japanese man was reaching for
when he was shot

was born to breathe, to breathe to give life
to breathe to give life to
friendship

blood root apparition

The Japanese man had sensitivity
and must have thought    in that desolation
that he had been struck by a heart

in the air before him, around him

a light, tonic mist    the feeling of wind
watching over him
Spring



From the Editor of Poem of the Day for 2/19/25
Today is the Day of Remembrance, which observes the anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which led to the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry during WWII.


Hinotama  (火の玉) in Japanese translates to "ball of fire" and refers to a glowing orb of light often associated with the soul of a deceased person in Japanese folklore; essentially, it's a type of "ghost light" or spirit manifestation.