evanescence

here is a lovely waka by the 18th century japanese poet ryokan titled white hair-

though frosts come down
night after night,
what does it matter?
they melt in the morning sun.
though the snow falls
each passing year,
what does it matter?
with spring days it thaws.
yet once let them settle
on a man's head,
fall and pile up,
go on piling up-
then the new year
may come and go,
but never will you see them fade away !