Poem: "foxwater"

This poem was inspired by siege and marina_bonomi.  It also touches on "The Jewel and the Key," and it's essentially a side-story in the Origami Mage series.  The main characters never appear onstage in this poem, just the paper boats and the holy white foxes who become Inari's guardians.

white foxes go blind
in the harsh bright light of spring,
sun burning clear eyes

blind foxes follow
their ears to the ocean beach,
white foam whispering

they wait for the tide
and ride paper boats to sea,
pure white sacrifice

inari takes them,
turns fragile flesh to strong stone,
clear eyes to white pearls

inari sets them,
white marble foxes to guard
gates in his temples

inari feeds them
those who try to break the Wheel:
lost souls, so tasty

white marble foxes
roll their pearly eyes and laugh,
long red tongues lolling