under the shinkansen tracks
the small man, greying
drags on his
cigarette,
eyes smiling at her.
A woman (grown children)
hops
girlishly
around him
then stops
as he touches,
straightens her hair with his left hand
(no cigarette).
She waits to board
the Kakogawa bus
pausing on the first step
to look back to see that
he's still there
watching her
before he adjusts his white paper hat
and turns back to work.
Selections from Japan's Best "Short Letters of Love"
published by Maruoka-cho Cultural Foundation/Sumitomo Group Public Affairs Committee
Running into you like that after ten years, I'm glad I had on make-up. -- Naomi Arai (F.34)
Married now for forty years. And finally, we can sit and say nothing over a cup of tea. -- Sanjuro Hirai (M.71)
To my first love...It sometimes occurs to me--What if my son chanced to meet your daughter... -- Ken'ichiro Kusunoki (M.49)
The player that we two cheered together has retired. So this is how time passes. -- Yumiko Kashiwagi (F.26)
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