​a lovely spring night suddenly vanished while we viewed cherry blossoms

after basho matsuo

and isn’t that the aching truth of life,
in chasing a thing of beauty
we leave another
differently, yet equally beautiful thing
behind?

were it not for the foresight 
to see ourselves showered in beauty
we might be tempted to stay back
be that always vanishing
thing,

i instead, rather call it gold
call myself a fool
choose to lie down under the night sky
see the stars smile down
and call it grace,
choose to let the day come
and view the tree grow heavy
as those cherries plump to juice.

Will we ever know the answer as to whether the cherry blossom still fall if nobody is watching, does the night only vanish because they are?