When the World Tilts Forward
“A Step Beyond the Map”
The forest tilts,
its trees bending like watchers
who know a secret I do not.
Moonlight spills in broken shards,
painting runes across the path.
For a breathless instant,
time itself wavers.
The air hums,
as if the stars are holding their voices—
waiting.
The road curves ahead,
stone bridge glowing faintly,
as though it remembers
every traveler who vanished beyond.
My lantern flickers.
Shadows crawl against the moss,
forming shapes that almost speak my name.
Even my heartbeat feels borrowed,
echoing from some other realm.
I know if I step forward,
the world will tip,
momentum pulling me into a place
where maps cannot follow.
The world tilts forward.
And I tilt with it.
About the Creator
Takashi Nagaya
I want everyone to know about Japanese culture, history, food, anime, manga, etc.
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