Hanami Kanpai

Kanpai What is perhaps most fascinating to me about hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, is that an entire country can become united in a mass celebration not of sports,or violence,or conquest - but of understated, refined reflection. Not about a religion, or a god with a name, or some unprovable, complex story of other-worldliness, or a doctrine, but a reflection about the reality of life here and now, as reflected by nature…earth…and the fact that all we can really say we know is that life is impermanent and always changing like seasons. So hanami to me means, we are wise to enjoy the moment, slow down and appreciate little things for what they are, for what they were. Enjoy perhaps a tomato cut into wedges on a plate, plain with no spices or adornment. Just enjoy it for what it is and never will be again … and stop worrying so much about the future or asking “why” so much. Because we don't have nearly as much control as we think we do, nor do we have all the answers. So as the English would say you might as well get pissed and enjoy yourself. … Kanpai!

Striking Wet Matches: Vanished

Striking Wet Matches: Vanished

Vanished

before she disappeared some would say vanished we were good friends yeah, good friends before I answered that telephone to a flurry of scripture i wondered if she was stoned she gave away all her rock records and filled her book case full of leather bound revelations firing up her imaginations’ over the top guess I’m here in hell with the rest of the lot stuck in a backwards message left to rot happy hour strikes at the last chance bar I saw her today out spreading the good news have you heard and received the word about the wheel that’s when the gentleman turned and said i’m not the one who needs convincing, little lady I once saw gene vincent “sanctify the most unholy host you’d have sworn he was the heavenly ghost” but i can’t recall seeing right through him the way that i do you right now before she disappeared she had a mind so full of color uniquely her own I can’t believe to find herself she had to vanish in the great unknown and when she was reborn then she arose with a turned up nose and the occasional call that seems to be all now that she’s back in school and having a ball i'm sure the usual girl can sometimes be maybe always lately but never definitely all the world’s her amusement park poised for the mission like joan of arc on sunday she’s a crusade saturday a disney parade because you can still have fun and be saved that’s the last thing that I heard her say before she disappeared some would say vanished we were good friends yeah good friends into the great unknown before she disappeared some would say vanished we were good friends yeah good friends into the great unknown before she disappeared some would say vanished we were good friends yeah good friends into the great unknown before she disappeared…

Supermarket Girl

Translated by Jun Saito


Kimino kokorowa ikizumatte irune

Mushisare semerarete bakari

Moshimo dekiru kotonara

Nantoka shite agetai

Kimiwa ittai nan-ni naritaino


Supermarket Girl tsuro-o aruku

Hohoemanaide

Shoruini umore

Mameo kazoete

Jurokusaino tokikara zutto

Supermarket Girl


Kimiwa ittai nan-ni naritaino

Shidaini yumega shibonde shimattano

Moshimo bokuga okanemochinara

Hanbun wakete agerarerunoni

Soshite kimiga inakutemo heikisa


Supermarket Girl tsuro-o aruku

Hohoemanaide

Shoruini umore

Mameo kazoete

Jurokusaino tokikara zutto

Supermarket Girl

frosted fake

only time will tell
if you’ll be timeless
for your immortal deeds and deliberations
or maybe your memory will suffer the fate
of that late, great frosted fake
oh what the hell was his name?

gods of war

words fall from their heads
like bombs from a jet
until all that’s left
cinders and ashes
and moms left behind by dead boys.

needle in the groove

science and math can give you the symptoms
package them up in numerical systems
1 2 3 4 ... buildings, bridges, autos, jets
tiny telephones
giant tv sets
none of which can simply answer
how the cure’s become the cancer

fax the blue
search the internet
no one’s found the answer yet
if the poet doesn’t know it
at least he’s got the balls to still wonder why

even gravity is taken for granted
the idea died when the word got planted
but who on earth can really say
i know why the sun rose today
only a jesus or a fool
knows why the oyster turns out the jewel

text the blue
sex on the internet
no one’s found the answer yet
so liberate that high tech mood
and put the needle back in the groove.