some swear guardians
come to life -- dancing through
the temple yard...
but only Autumn nights, and
after a calabash of wine.
Guardian [Kyōka]
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guardian lion
watches the setting sun like
it’s up to no good.
A stone dog guards the temple gate with dead, but bulging, eyes. And gargoyles mount a stern defense from the cathedral spires. But what's a mounted mask to do to keep evil at bay? And what's the flash of fu dog teeth to end a vicious fray? And what would lead me to assume that evil lies outside, when your greeter is pure ugliness with wild and crazy eyes?