COME IN TOKYO
QUIET TOKYO MORNING
Kicking back on a quiet Tokyo morning. Dark roast
coffee. Raisin toast with peanut butter and jam. Sayoko
still sleeping. Because when its morning in Tokyo, its
late afternoon in America. So I turn on the tv before
the sun rises and pigeons start crapping on my balcony.
Russias burning. Pakistans under water. Theres oil in
the Gulf. Gunshots in Johannesburg. Kandahar car
bombs. Somebody mugged the sky. Who screwed the
ocean? So what? I say quietly so I dont wake my wife.
The Worlds not perfect. Things happen.
Not knowing Japanese, I scan the morning paper looking
for poetic images, possible buying opportunities. Theres
the new Prime Minister. Cornered in the Diet by the money
bags opposition. Happy farmers. Sumo are bowing. Illegal
betting apology. Happy housewives. Office ladies. Happy
investors. Shopowners. Bean counters. Shoe-shine boys.
Happy traffic cops. Taxidermists. Japan is one big happy
country. Following orders. Smiling for the cameras. Just
like me. Drinking coffee. Eating raisin toast. Smiling. One
happy fella.
Tokyo, Thursday, 08/05/10
