Japan: The Lost Poems

What a delight to find an old notebook (gold leaf lotus design on the cover no less!) full of travel notes, directions, observations, food memories, and poems. I was instantly transported back to August/September 2009 (time? what time?) with all my senses as I read through the slightly weathered pages. Thought I'd share some...


Shibuya at Dusk
Orange lights flash in unison…tangerine pulse one, two, three
Crimson cab pulling over
            Pulled over
                        Stopped
Lace doily seats and gloved hands coming into full view
Teal heals and bubble dress floats away
Work weathered faces march fixedly homeward
Wide eyed youth warriors just starting their dance
Lights effervescent but still subdued.
Umbrellas dangle gingerly from wrinkled hands,
A push cart…a scooter…shoe shuffling
Adorned with digital accoutrements aplenty
(My window perch above and outside of it all…observation central)





Byōdōin 平等院
The Essentials of Salvation alive in a colorful masterpiece
Now faded to the naked eye but brilliant as ever with that ol’ third one
Descent of Amida begins
            Heavenly music
                        Golden light rays
                                    Beautiful Bodhisattva Kannon with open arms
            Hands of blessings and sublimity
Eternal meditation on the setting sun


Anonymous Afternoon
Waving lotus leaves
Buzzing cicadas
Roots running flat and deep
Devas feed on light in realm of (non)form
Delightfully caught betwixt realms
One flapping butterfly, one draping caterpillar

Navigation Gal (Nabi gyaru)
phew, wow, zip, bam
all here? all in?
ticket check…sanity check
check that one off the list
check it all out
up the hill
in the trees
under the canopy
with the bees
atop the moss
into it all
tuning in
turning on
dropping out
…into crazed beauty


To Nara
Dripping green softly ripples in low breeze come down the keyhole tombed hills, thick with groves of tangled treeness. Skyscape of whipped puffs layered across their bright cerulean canvas. Soft light slips through, casting shadows on nature’s midday masterpiece. Recreated and renewed on the regular yet never monotone nor muted. BRIGHT. TRUE. This train-riding moment in time.

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