Trembling in its thousand ages
Dark as its faith,
It wails, hunting me,
(It's a long time since I lost my faith,)
Up through the silence with a scorn,
Heavy but not unkind,
Out of the dusk of the temple and night
Into my heart of dusk,
Hushed after my song of cities played,
Weary and grey in thought.
My heart replies to the wail of the bell,
Slow-bosomed in sadness and faith,
With memory rising from dusts.
Namu amida butsu! Namu amida butsu!*

Yone Noguchi (from the Pilgrimage)