Chrysanthemum Tea

MOTHER It's the Day of the Rat, my Lord. There are four days remaining, And I see you're entertaining, But we should have a chat, my Lord. To begin, if I may, my Lord, I've no wish to remind you But you'll notice just behind you There are ships in the bay, They've been sitting there all day With a letter to convey And they haven't gone away And there's every indication That they're planning to stay, my Lord ... Have some tea, my Lord, Some chrysthanthemum tea. It's an herb that's superb For disturbances at sea. Is the Shogun feeling better? Good! Now what about this letter? Is it wise to delay, my Lord? With the days disappearing, Might we benefit from hearing, What the soothsayers say, my Lord? SOOTHSAYER Wood star ... Water star ... All celestial omens are — Excellent. Deerbones ... Turtleshells ... Each configuration spells — Victory. Ahhhhhhhhhh ... A spider on the wall! Signifies success. Whose success I cannot guess ... Unless ... (Second Day) MOTHER It's the Day of the Ox, my Lord. With but three days remaining And today already waning, I've a few further shocks, my Lord. To begin, let me say, At the risk of repetition, There are ships in the bay, And they didn't ask permission, But they sit there all day In contemptuous array With a letter to convey And they haven't gone away And there's every indication They they still plan to stay, And you look a little gray, my Lord ... Have some tea, my Lord, Some chrysanthemum tea, While we plan, if we can, What our answer ought to be. If the tea the Shogun drank will Serve to keep the Shogun tranquil, I suggest, if I may, my Lord, We consult the Confucians — They have mystical solutions. There are none wise as they, my Lord ... PRIESTS Night waters do not break the moon. That merely is illusion. The moon is sacred. No foreign ships can break our laws. That also is illusion. Our laws are sacred. It follows there can be no ships. They must be an illusion. Japan is sacred. (Third Day) MOTHER It's the Day of the Tiger, my Lord. Only two days remaining, And I'm tired of explaining There are ships in the bay With a letter to convey, They're on permanent display, And we must take some position Or the Southern Coalition Will be soon holding sway, my Lord ... And we'll all have to pay, my Lord ... Have some tea, my Lord, Some chrysanthemum tea. It's a tangled situation, As your father would agree. And it mightn't be so tangled If you hadn't had him strangled — But I fear that I stray, my Lord. I've a nagging suspicion That, in view of your condition, What we should do is pray, my Lord ... SAMURAI COMPANION Blow, wind. Great wind, Great Kamikaze, Wind of the gods. SAMURAI, SUMOS, PHYSICIAN, WIFE, MOTHER Blow, wind. Build the waves. Hurl the infection Out of the ocean, Blow, wind! Blow, wind! Blow, wind! (Fourth Day) MOTHER It's the Day of the Rabbit, my Lord. There's but one day remaining, And beside the fact it's raining, There are ships in the bay Which are sitting there today Just exactly where they sat On the Day of the Rat — Oh, and speaking of that, my Lord, When the ships came our way On that first disturbing day And I gave consideration To this letter they convey, I decided if there weren't Any Shogun to receive it, It would act as a deterrant Since they'd have no place to leave it, And they might go away, my Lord ... Do you see what i say, my Lord? In the tea, my Lord, The chrysanthemum tea — An informal variation On the normal recipe. Though I know my plan had merit, It's been slow in execution. If there's one thing you inherit, It's your father's constitution, And you're taking so long, my Lord ... Do you think I was wrong, my Lord? ... No, you must let me speak: When the Shogun is weak, Then the tea must be strong, my Lord ... My Lord —? (Shogun dies.) The blossom falls on the mountain. The mountain falls on the blossom. All things fall.