Works in progress, Tokyo.
spring behind
at the next table
autumn ahead
Tokyo bound
out the airplane window
cities of clouds
out the airplane window
the Sistine Chapel
down below —
the sea has
stretchmarks
scary cloud monsters on parade
—all fluff
on the plane
I rub noses with
plumes of cloud
a lifetime of self doubt
erased
in a haiku moment
to be mid haiku
in the final moment—
ah...
forgoing the movie
in favour of
the view
the view
the porch light turns off
setting sun
disembarking
everyone on their screens
my pen in a notebook
night train into Tokyo
down side streets
—Bladerunner
at the hotel
the security guard and his
samurai pose
silent streets
thunder rolls
my suitcase wheels
in the city centre
a pin drops
a sudden brigade
of see-through umbrellas
Tokyo rain
late autumn moon
businessmen with small black bags
wind their way home
practicing his golf swing
while he waits
white umbrella
white umbrella
muted tones of Tokyo fashion
my red raincoat
too red
at Zojoji temple
red wool caps warm the heads
of unborn babes
at the fish market
bright red
SUCKERS
SUCKERS
just one anomaly in this squeaky clean city
what's that bad smell?
oh, laughs Akira
the ginkgo tree is dropping its seeds
smell, not so good
but taste, delicious
just one bad smell in this squeaky clean city
the ginkgo tree
dropping its seeds
night worries wake me
the ginko tree drops its seeds
anxious thoughts wake me from the dead
but what good fortune!
I am still alive
writing something
I exist
autumn rain
Tokyo streets
sirens call
dog yelping in the rain
my squeaky shoes
silent streets
autumn rains
autumn rains
my squeaky shoes
in the subway
Basho's skylark
from the speaker in the metro
Basho's skylark
birdsong in the subway
the Emperor's nightingale
reading Murakami on the train
a sleeping man falls
into my lap
workmen sleep in their van
dream engine running
Tokyo Tower
you could see Mt Fuji
except for the smog
travelling again
bringing too much
then buying more
then buying more
stuff
on my way to the Emperor's Palace
I pull a muscle in my glute
I pull a muscle in my glute
too busy jotting
a walking haiku
no jaywalking in Tokyo city
we wait and wait
finally green
in the business district
crows carry
crows carry
small black bags
salary men and their black bags
what's inside?
lunch?
two men up a ladder
trim a giant
bonsai
bonsai
approaching the Emperor's moat
I'm in Mandalay
her majesty on the palace moat
a white swan
outside the closed palace gate
so many tourists, yet somehow
peace
at the Emperor's eastern gate
a Chinese tourist hums
a lively folk tune
at the eastern palace gate, a Japanese toddler sings:
London Bridge is falling down
my fair lady
the chalk sign outside the Kukyomon gate says:
the guided tours of the Imperial Palace, will not be held today
due to the other activities of the Imperial household
oh
eight Japanese beauties
unusually tall
in Harajuku street
how do you know if schoolgirls are really
schoolgirls?
behind the clouds
a melon moon
the softness of Tokyo faces
two old school mates, fresh from chemo
could be two wise monks
except for their
jaunty hats
to be continued...
