:43:00
So, it sufficed to wait and the planet itself
staged the working of time.
:43:05
I saw what had been my window again.
:43:07
I saw emerge familiar roofs and balconies,
:43:11
the landmarks of the walks I took through town every day,
down to the cliff where I had met the children.
:43:17
The cat with white socks that Haroun had been considerate
enough to film for me naturally found its place.
:43:24
And I thought, of all the prayers to time that had studded this trip
the kindest was the one spoken by the woman of Gotokuji,
:43:31
who said simply to her cat Tora,
"Cat, wherever you are, peace be with you."
:44:00
And then in its turn the journey entered the 'zone,'
and Hayao showed me my images already affected by the moss of time,
:44:07
freed of the lie that had prolonged the existence
of those moments swallowed by the spiral.
:44:28
When spring came, when every crow announced
its arrival by raising his cry half a tone,
:44:33
I took the green train of the Yamanote line and
got off at Tokyo station, near the central post office.
:44:41
Even if the street was empty I waited at the red light
Japanese style
:44:47
so as to leave space for the spirits of the broken cars.
:44:50
Even if I was expecting no letter
I stopped at the general delivery window,
:44:54
for one must honor the spirits of torn up letters,
and at the airmail counter to salute the spirits of unmailed letters.