I Was Crushed I Was Lost - A Poem and Photos
More photos below the poem 詩の下に他の写真あり
I Was Crushed I Was Lost
Thinking of Africa
I sat and ordered
a deluxe veggie burger and fries
and when it came I ate but
I was crushed I was lost
Thinking of Ukraine
I order a computer part
got the old machine up and running but still
I was crushed I was lost
Thinking of Palestine and Israel
I paid my NHK broadcast fee
for my old TV to see disasters and again
I was crushed I was lost
Thinking of immigrant refugees
I got another COVID vaccine and had
a two-day hangover in the comfort of my own home
I was crushed I was lost
Thinking of the warming planet
I paid my car’s exorbitant shaken inspection fee
filled the tank with gas and drove away
I was crushed I was lost
Thinking local
I waved to dear friends in need
who are fighting not to die but to live
I was crushed I was lost
Trying to think or not to think
about the world news
I eat my needed breakfast
believing I am too thin to
skip meals even in solidarity…
nearly broken
I am crushed I am lost
Thinking of nothing
Thinking of everything
I bathe in morning sunrises
grateful for these peaceful moments
in that Light
I am crushed I am lost.
Break the Silence
「沈黙を破ろう」
日本語は英語つづき、写真のしたにあります。Break the Silence
In the silence
of my mind
What am I not
Hearing
In the silence
of the world
Where is
Communion
In the silence
of our actions
How will we
Progress
In the silence
of open hearts
Why don’t we
Scream
In the silence
of solidarity
When will we
Stand up
Breaking the silence
of our sad anger...
“Are we there yet?”
The children shout out.
====
Head bow to the late Japanese poet Nanao Sakaki for the title.
Written for a Poetry Challenge group on the theme Silence, May 2022
Photo by Edward Levinson 1985 JAPAN
「沈黙を破ろう」
心のなかの
沈黙している
なにかが
聞こえていないか
世界のなかの
沈黙で
分かち合いは
どこへいってしまったのか
われらの活動が
沈黙している
その進歩を
どうやってするのか
開いている心の
沈黙で
なぜ大きく
叫ばないか
われらの連帯の
沈黙で
立ち上がるのは
いつになるのか
われらの悲しい怒りの
沈黙を破るのは…….
「まだ始めないの？」
子どもたちが叫んでいる。
＝＝＝＝
(沈黙をテーマにした詩の挑戦Poetry Challengeのグループのためにかきました。
2022/0５)