by Dibyasree Nandy
Editor's note: Hijikata Toshizō fought to maintain Shogunate rule and Japanese isolationism. He died in 1869 during the final battle of the Boshin (civil) war. Takasugi Shinsaku fought against Tokugawa's shogunate armies and was a key proponent of the Meiji Restoration having studied with Shoin Yoshida. Hijikata and Takasugi, though on opposing sides, never fought each other.
To Hijikata Toshizō-san, Oni-no-Fukucho of the Shinsengumi,
The sun glints on the opposite ends of our blades;
And yet the same swirls of petals enthrall both you and me under the glades;
Do you not detest unrest?
Equality, hope for better days, a jest?
With ambitions in your heart, you arrived from Bushu;
Lost a teacher, I raised my flag, calling all to battle, at Choshu;
Supporting crumbling castles and fortresses, you regrouped as a unit new;
Called an ogre with ideals not few.
We opposed, hence dubbed terrorists, barbarians, crude;
Driving away usurpers, is that wrong? Those words hurt; they sound rude;
Locked within grey cages many a time;
Wondered, what was my crime?
Had there been no storms, no tempests;
No tensed soldiers huddled in the tents;
We could’ve shared drinks, the moon glistening on the surface, rippling;
The lanterns casting a red glow on factions all, uniting.
O Wolf Mighty;
Flames along the skyline, most unsightly;
Let the hail rain down;
Both shall be calmed, no king, no crown.
Enemies, true;
As the era flew;
Connected, linked, the steel in our souls;
Compatriots we are, my friend, shan’t live to see our goals.
From someone who wishes for a brighter future just as much as you do;
Takasugi Shinsaku,
Commander of the Kiheitai.
The sun glints on the opposite ends of our blades;
And yet the same swirls of petals enthrall both you and me under the glades;
Do you not detest unrest?
Equality, hope for better days, a jest?
With ambitions in your heart, you arrived from Bushu;
Lost a teacher, I raised my flag, calling all to battle, at Choshu;
Supporting crumbling castles and fortresses, you regrouped as a unit new;
Called an ogre with ideals not few.
We opposed, hence dubbed terrorists, barbarians, crude;
Driving away usurpers, is that wrong? Those words hurt; they sound rude;
Locked within grey cages many a time;
Wondered, what was my crime?
Had there been no storms, no tempests;
No tensed soldiers huddled in the tents;
We could’ve shared drinks, the moon glistening on the surface, rippling;
The lanterns casting a red glow on factions all, uniting.
O Wolf Mighty;
Flames along the skyline, most unsightly;
Let the hail rain down;
Both shall be calmed, no king, no crown.
Enemies, true;
As the era flew;
Connected, linked, the steel in our souls;
Compatriots we are, my friend, shan’t live to see our goals.
From someone who wishes for a brighter future just as much as you do;
Takasugi Shinsaku,
Commander of the Kiheitai.
Dibyasree Nandy, 29 years old, is a resident of India. After completing M.Sc and M.Tech, she began writing during the lock-down period of the Covid-19 pandemic. She has written four books, 'The Labyrinth of Silent Voices-Epistles of the Mahabharata', 'Stardust- Haiku and Other Poems', 'Studded with Rubies; A Hundred Short Stories' and 'Marchen of Newer Days'.
Use and/or duplication of any content on White Enso is strictly prohibited without express and written permission from the author and/or owner.
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