Soldier for Beauty

Soldier for Beauty - A Self-Portrait is a visualization of the haiku by Matsuo Basho:

夏草や

兵どもが

夢の跡

translated into English:

The summer grasses—

Of the brave soldiers' dreams

The aftermath.

(natsu-kusa ya

tsuwamono-domo ga

yume no ato)

Translation from here.

Soldier for Beauty - A Self-Portrait is a contemplation in the spirit of mono no aware. Mono no aware (物の哀れ), literally "the pathos of things", and also translated as "an empathy toward things", or "a sensitivity to ephemera", is a Japanese term for the awareness of impermanence (無常 mujō), or transience of things, and both a transient gentle sadness (or wistfulness) at their passing as well as a longer, deeper gentle sadness about this state being the reality of life.

Thanks to Dr Tim Lomas for the inspiration! http://www.drtimlomas.com