This poem (a series of 12 haiku) came out of a letter a friend of mine sent me about an image she called 'the epitome of Nasami.' In keeping with my story 'The Sword of the Soul', here is Nasami with the samurai of Samurai 7. I leave it to you to decide which samurai it is.
Dancing with Snowflakes
A woman in white
With eyes like evening twilight
And hair like the snow
Dancing with her sword
Moving through ancient kata
With elegant grace
Absolute focus
Her mind is one with the sword
Like part of her soul
Snow drifts around her
Frail and fragile winter flowers
That die as they fall
Her blade passes by them
Carving patterns in the air
While she dances
And yet, never once
Does her blade touch a single
Snowflake as it falls
His sword remains still
But behind that stoic mask
His heart is pounding
Eyes dark with passion
He watches her as she moves
Graceful as the snow
His body trembles
As she glances toward him
And slowly smiles
It is a challenge
For this dark sad samurai
He moves toward her
Then he kisses her
His mouth as gentle and soft
As a snowflake's touch
She sighs into him
And lets her katana fall
To the snowy ground