Atarashī Kodō ga Hajimaru Shunken
Only a moment after she placed her left hand lightly
beneath the folds of her new silk kimono
and held it there, like that, for just a moment longer ..
It must have been that second moment surely when
those fingertips carelessly, caressed her belly
she first felt and became aware of Hajimi kodo ..
Then she could not stop the smile from forming, nor did
she want to hide it from her lover, yet both knew
she would need a new set of netsuke, before summer ..
To protect her modesty of course and save her blushes from
the prying eyes and wagging tongues of springtime
once the snow had melted and the cherry blossom flowered ..
The Moment a New Heartbeat Begins