This was written for Syn's Valentine's Day DDN on 02/13/2012. higanbana is the story of Manju and Saka, the guardians of the spider lily. It is said that Manju, who guarded the flower, and Saka, who guarded the leaves, defied their fate of guarding the spider lily alone. They managed to meet and fell in love at first sight, but Amaterasu was angered by them and separated them. She cursed them as a form of punishment for their defiance: that the flowers of Manju could never meet the leaves of Saka again. When they met in death, they vowed to meet each other again after they've been reincarnated, but both of them were unable to keep their promise. That is why the spider lily blooms only when there are no leaves, and the leaves only grows after the flower has wilted and died.
- o0o -
Prompt 1: Spider Lily
Word Count: 119
one by one,
the chartreuse leaves
slowly
f
a
l
l
s
;
flying away
carried by the breeze -
you love me ;
you love me not ;
they still fall.
gradually drifting -
drifting to the ground.
do you love me
or do you not?
a giggle. a laugh.
childish innocence.
fingers pointing skyward
as the last leaf fell,
silent saying :
you love me not.
a pout. a sigh.
but just as easily,
already forgotten.
silly mortal games
could only last
for so long;
and boring
has come and gone.
she smiled and stood.
he had finally
v a n i s h e d ~
it was time to bloom,
kagome,
guardian of the flower.
- o0o -