Dinner Together

February 11th


The electronic sound of ring tone went off.
It was Yuri for the first time in half a year.
She offered me to have dinner together.
I haven't had anything since morning.  My stomach rejoiced.


It's nice to wait for somebody to come.
It buoyed the depressed feelings up a little.
Feelings sink, lift, and shut down, ever transient.


Yuri came with a big back pack full of gourmet food.
Open cultured vegetables smell the earth and the sun.
Free range chicken broiled with salt, the salt was from French coast
Yuri is active on the international stage.
The salt from Okinawa also taste good, but
I have a weakness for French, 'Cause I am a country girl!


The stomach of the myoatrophic proved to be robust.
I've eaten it up and am ready for wine.


Oh, I remember now.
When I broke up with Bob,
Yuri came with food.
It was tuna over rice and red wine


The loneliness of being alone then when Bob left and the loneliness of being alone now with ALS,  which is lonelier?  I asked myself.
Well, 
It's now, of course.
ALS includes death.
The divorce included the future.


I don't want to die, I confided in Yuri.
Yuri told me to believe in miracle, think realistically, and address together. 
Thank you, thank you.  I do.  I want to be.


The midnight sky tinted in wine red, and the taste of wine becomes starts in the universe.
The star of miracle 
I hope it will be.


Yuri, See you again.
I wait for the electronic sound of the ring tone ring.

Poem by Maria Franki

Edited and translated by J. Ujiie

©2011