Sunday, March 13, 2011

Two Days After

March 13th

Mind and heart wide awake.
Experience of escape with bare life heavy
The sleep restless.

I head noise from the living room.
Kochi opened the curtains.
It was a beautiful day
when precious lives were lost.
Overwhelming sadness remained.

Eating the breakfast Kochi fixed for me
I fell asleep immediately.
Wrapped in a blanket
feeling warm as in a womb.

A shower time
What's wrong with me?  I can't walk.
With Kochi supporting my back,
I still can't walk.
Back, abdomen, and tights are out.
That's a bad sign.  Am I going into immobility?

I was carried to the bathroom.
On a chair, I could manage to take a shower.
The muscles were weakening without mercy.
Is this an ultimatum from my muscles?

4:40 pm
Ms. Grasshopper came.
Since I can't step over 8 cm height differences, she is planning to place a 4 cm board.
Stepping over 4 cm twice, I can step over 8 cm.
She measured the length of the board.

Dinner with 3.
Leftover.
Everything was sold out.
The shops were empty.

Ms. Grasshopper left to buy boards.
Kochi left for home.

I was overcome by fear of not being able to walk.
On TV, the news was horrifying.
Double sadness in a lonely room.

11:40pm
Ms. Grasshopper came again
With a flashlight to
Prepare for rolling blackouts.
She couldn't buy boards.
The shops were closed earlier.

Ms. Grasshopper had beer
I had chocolate.
Sweet and delicious.

I want to forget everything.
About illness, about the earthquake.
Tomorrow, I'll find love.
I hope it will be that kind of Monday.

Poem by Maria Franki
Edited and translated by J. Ujiie
©2011

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