Red Sun at the Gate

A red sun shines directly on the doorway, and a moon that had gone dark returns to its full circle. Encountering an official seal is linked with obtaining something valuable. The last line is awkward in the original, and we take it plainly to mean that a fair share of what is asked for gets done.

Both lights in the opening couplet are at full strength under Dai-kichi, Great good fortune, the printed grade in the book. Sun and moon share the poem, and the seal adds the weight of authority.

Thinking of it now, the image is a bright doorway, a recovered thing and formal approval arriving close together. What does a person do with a time when so little stands in the way?