A Furry Ball

a tiny missing ball

appeared from nowhere

its tail wagging

face smiling, looking at me

bouncing about like a furry ball

brimming with curiosity

climbed upon my lap

wanting me to take her home

and I

unable to resist

embraced her

on the way back

             by Itsuki Ari

The House in Hateruma

a red tiled roof made of red clay

over our brown house

hedged with happiness trees

a rusty mailbox painted but faded red

a deep inactive well in the back 

near the forest undergrowth 

birds singing as though to greet us

when the sun would peek over the horizon

passing language in the inner room

the wind flowing through the smiling trees

spreads the smell of the mosquito coils 

                         by Itsuki Ari 

The Sun and Sunflower

In the early morning dew

where a girl

sitting on the bare earth

with no one else but her

she was so alone

she lowered her eyes every night

just like the night before

but only one man could

encourage her when he

came to her every morning 

he was wrapped

in a gray blanket

each night so

they could not meet

in the nocturnal hours

as the blanket had so many

tiny holes

in the new silence

some birds broke into song

and the blanket turned blue

and finally the cover faded away

and he showed his face

and brightened her smile

he always came

and showed her

his glaring face

at the start

of each new day 

and made her

happy every morning

he was sure

to come tomorrow too


         by Hikaru Higa

Memory with Grandpa

I remember

every Sunday

I visited Grandpa

old and gray

I remember

he lived

in a small white house

whose brightness

dazzled my eyes

where other

elderly people stayed

I remember

always taking walks

in a lovely garden 

nearby

with Grandpa 

where birds

in branches of trees

sang and  

butterflies fluttered

with wings like flower petals

I remember always

pushing his green wheelchair

and talking to him 

but he said 

nothing

but a smile

I can never see him again

can never push

his wheelchair

but

remember 

the days

spent with Grandpa


            by Hikaru Higa

The Real Friendship

here is a place for you and me a

special place for only us two where

we share a special bond that no one can see

they say that true friendship is rare

an adage I believe to be true

you are the best gift I have ever got

I am so lucky to have met you

when you're feeling blue I'll

be there for you when I'm

deeply hurt you'll be there for me

                  by Shion Takara

Best Friend

Eriko is funny
she is kind, cuddly
small like a bunny
so cute it makes you
go blind when I 
see her it is always
too sunny, I don't
see her a lot these days
but when we do meet
we plot, make future
plans roaming about town
in our mini-vans 


                        by Shion Takara

Nightmare | Mao Chinen

In the center of the black night

when the bone-white skeleton

suddenly appeared

in front of me

with no thumbs

he whispered

“Hello.”

and with a smile

like a devil in my ear

he slowly walked through

where a little child alone

in the dark lay

on a dreary city sidewalk

and I heard something

big and green chase

the child like a gloomy huge spider

seeking to catch its prey and suck

the life out of it