Gregory Dunne – II
Hirosato
Eight years old –
name tag pinned
to his chest – ヒロサト。
His look of being
a little scared
as jet engines whine
their way up.
One empty seat
between us –
he’s never been this close
to a gaijin
but leans over – asks
where the bathroom is
in日本語。
He is heading south
away from the zone –
escaping
like children years ago
sent out of Tokyo
when fire bombs rained
terror down.
He settles in –
adjusts his seat –
“Ready or not,” I tease,
and he smiles
past my English
he doesn’t understand
into the better language
we are finding between us.
*Note: On March 11, 2011, The Great East Japan Earthquake struck off the
coast of Tohoku – the strongest earthquake ever recorded to have hit Japan.
Haneda Airport, Tokyo March 15, 2011*
Eight years old –
name tag pinned
to his chest – ヒロサト。
His look of being
a little scared
as jet engines whine
their way up.
One empty seat
between us –
he’s never been this close
to a gaijin
but leans over – asks
where the bathroom is
in日本語。
He is heading south
away from the zone –
escaping
like children years ago
sent out of Tokyo
when fire bombs rained
terror down.
He settles in –
adjusts his seat –
“Ready or not,” I tease,
and he smiles
past my English
he doesn’t understand
into the better language
we are finding between us.
*Note: On March 11, 2011, The Great East Japan Earthquake struck off the
coast of Tohoku – the strongest earthquake ever recorded to have hit Japan.