To Osaka
Sun peeking out from behind Tokyo's towers
Fuji winking above the hills of Yokohama
Pebbled streams, ageless rivers,
bamboo groves
The rocky coast near Odawara
Stands of pine trees
rice-plotted rectangles
and a plain of tiled rooves before Nagoya
The rails lead to Kyoto, haven of temples
and then
The train pulls smoothly, on time, into Osaka
where you
wait for me
© 1995, TAJ
