I ascended the final set of steps
Leading to that ancient temple
The cherry blossom trees
Were just now blooming

There were no standing guards
As I had expected there to be
So I walked over the bridge
And opened the great wooden doors

The inside was dimly lit
Only a few hanging lamps
Illuminated another set
Of carved stone steps

I bowed and then continued the climb
The further I went
The more I became aware
Of a strange new aroma

the air became more dense
And as I noticed this
I realized there must be
Incense burning nearby

The sweet smoke filled my head
the end of the stairs were now in sight
And as I reached the top
I came to my journey's goal

She sat there in the center
Amid luxurious pillows and cushions
Her hair was sleek and black
And her kimono rich with color

Though her eyes were closed
She smiled and shifted elegantly
Her shadows flowed
In the low candle light

Before I mustered the courage to speak
I looked upon her for some time
She was the most beautiful woman
I had ever seen

She exuded power and knowledge
Yet looked no more than a young woman
I could only describe the aura she gave
As a sinister form of youth

Finally I bowed before her
To ask the question
That I had traveled so far
In order to ask her

Pouring out my soul I told her
How I had lost my family
Along with everything I had
And how I was now lost

I told her I felt
As though the sun itself
Was angered with me
And refused to show me its face

Telling her all these things
I began to cry
Though as I looked to her
Her eyes still stood shut

After a time of silence
She finally spoke to me
"The sun shines upon us everyday
Whether we can see it or not"

As she spoke her presence filled the room
To the point were I wasn't certain
If she truly sat before me
Or was watching from afar

The presence was unlike anything
I had ever felt before
As the presence grew
I began to forget my previous troubles

Her presence permeated my very spirit
Comforting and guiding me somehow
The air seemed thick and heavy
Laden with a strange sensuality

Not the feeling one has for a lover
No, this was a primordial feeling
The kind of deep seated love
That a god might have for their creation

With this thought I looked on her anew
She smiled once more
The light reflecting off her glossed lips
As she opened her Amethyst eyes