Time

April 10

The morning sunlight
Nodded

Four girls were
Crisscrossing in the hotel room
To the right and to the left
To getting ready for breakfast in the room.

Salad Bowl
Turkey sandwich.
Mexican Soup
Cereal
We shared.

Naoko Camerawoman is busy
setting up the camera and clearing up the room,
Which signals Bob's arrival.

I lay on the bed.
I can't hold my head up for a long time.
I saw Bob's bulk at the door
Our eyes met...we smiled to each other
Greeted each other cheek to cheek.

He greeted all of us one by one.
His smoothness hasn't changed.

We talked about music.
He brought the music we colaborated.
An early rap music,
Titled
"It's hot in New York."

What? You gonna play it here?
No!  I objected, but he was so ready.

Like it or not, we ended up listening to it.
... after about 4 minutes, it ended with
"Tai-Hen (OMG), Tai-Hen(OMG)"

In the afternoon of a hot day, we got on a subway,
And we wrote the song.
It came back to me, the conversation, the place.
A studio apartment in Brooklyn
With four keyboards.
Mari was there.
A distant memory.

1:30
We went out for shopping.
Bob and Maria
Mari, Eiko and her husband.
Let's go.

D&R drugstore
99 cent store
Strawberry clothing shop

We walked together.
From 54th Street to 40 Street
Mari, Eiko and Bob pushed the wheelchair.
Thank you.

Ms Grasshopper found
A single blooming cherry tree in Central Park
The camera is rolling,
Filming the closing of the day.

The setting sun is leaning heavy
Our silhouettes join together
The time past and the time present intersected.

All by ourselves
Which path would we take to go back.

European Ladies Boutique was full of cute and gorgeous clothes.
This dress and that coat
I would have bought, if I could walk.

I'll come again tomorrow, Bob said.

Hilton NY RM 1319
Bob went out to buy sushi.

California Roll
Tuna
Egg
Squid
Miso soup
Vinegared seafood
Japanese salad

We watched the video.

Marco Island in Florida
St. Martin

Splash, sparkling
Bob's Dad and Mom smiling.
With the sweetness of ice cream in the mouth,
Tapped on the tanned back
Who's there?

Water ski
Snorkel
I'm grad that I did.
The memory remains in my feet and in my heart.

Thank you for the time remembered.

Bob saluted like a salor and
Closed the door.
I returned a smile despite myself.

Tomorrow will be the day to say goodbye.

poem by Maria Franki

edited and translated by J. Ujiie

©2011