This haiku poem is about moxa: Asama is Japan's largest active volcano; Mount Ibuki is traditionally one of the prime growing areas for quality moxa in Japan.

Moxa is the refined product of the picked leaves of the mugwort plant. This plant grows all over the world in temperate zones, and has a reputation for its more esoteric properties in many traditional cultures, but it is only in the Far East that it has been used therapeutically by being burnt over the skin. (The Anglo-Saxons, incidentally, burnt it to ward off nasty insects, and it's been burnt as a bactericide in schools and hospitals in China as well).

It was first mentioned by some of the famous Chinese philosophers, and, almost certainly its use provided the seminal theoretical inspiration for meridian-focused holistic acupuncture two thousand years ago. Since then, it's endured a mixed experience alongside acupuncture - often relegated almost to folk medicine status alongside the scholastic studies and developments in acupuncture over the centuries.

Its effects, however, are not to be sniffed at. It is arguable that twentieth century Japanese research into repsonses to moxibustion provide more positive indicators of "holistic" whole body responses than the results of research into acupuncture itself - in changes in blood chemistry, immune response and with effects within the autonomic nervous system. It's interesting that, early in the twentieth century, it was being successfully used to treat TB and to counter outbreaks of cholera.

Today the power of the application of moxa is two-fold: firstly it can give an "edge" to treatment of chronic or difficult conditions; secondly it can be taught to the patient who can then use it at home to support the treatment. With both approaches I have seen it make an almost staggering difference to the treatment effect.

Unfortunately, of course, in many clinics its use is precluded because of its smoke. It's not toxic, like cigarette smoke, but it creates smoke nevertheless, and I can attest to the fact that it will set smoke alarms off having once embarrassingly been responsible for the automatic call-out of two fire engines.