I decided to use my own image, taken in Yokahama a couple of weeks ago. The bird flew into the photo.
Air space
To Yokahama
one hour standing
stuffed between commuters
and more
and more
and more
they come…
…some wear masks
Time for sakura
– cherry blossom.
Time for rhinitis
– hay fever.
Too little air
to share between us.
At Tokyo, now
full to capacity,
still more squash in
– soft as invertebrates.
I recall sarin
on the subway in ‘95
and try not to sniff.
Later
at the waterside
a solitary seagull
invades
my air space.
They have all that space and they choose to squash together on a rope!
March 26, 2009 at 3:47 pm
How did you manage to capture the lone seagull.Lovely image and poem
March 26, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Privacy must be especially precious in Tokyo. I really love how your poem complements both images, and especially the build-up to the final stanza’s twist.
March 26, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Great image of that gull, and the poem is lovely. That gull is a relief from the crowding.
March 26, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Wonderful contrast in this!
I found myself holding my breath as I was reading. Very effective!
March 27, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Liked the sparse way it goes! Works very well.
over the ridge and hard planes
March 27, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Wonderful! I love the claustrophobic tension it exudes (The last stanza in particular).
March 27, 2009 at 10:11 pm
You capture a certain essence of Japan. The cherry blossoms are beautiful, aren’t they? Interesting too, the second photo.
March 27, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Sounds like you had an exciting time, great photo – love the poem, I can feel a sense of movement in both thought and physicality.
March 28, 2009 at 3:38 am
I like the poem….nice photo also
March 30, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I like the last line because it’s like you sigh on it. NICELY done!
March 30, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I likee the photos and the poem – they pair well together. Also like how in your words you contrast the crowded commuters with the lone seagull in the open air.