summer 2019 Japan
my little keepsake.
summer joy
on to the ground. nothing stops this little one to hold the moment.
stepping outside. space of freedom. sound of cicada. beaming sun on her arms. heights of nekojyarashi. echoing laughters. splash of water. sweaty T-shirts and muddy pants.
her joy overlaps with my sensation more than four decades ago.
funny how vividly I can remember such joy.
today’s climate has significantly changed comparing to my childhood, which sadly impacted on how ‘less’ they can be playing outside in summer here, but the energy for play has not changed. we are all born from this soil to free ourselves.
now I am thinking about our task. that we have to work hard for this soil to last longer for them and the future generation, so they can feel the summer joy too.
first day
first day.
nervousness kicks in.
your tummy seems to be louder.
your hands seem to be stickier to hold mine.
your skins seem to be stiffer to smile.
your legs seem to be slower.
saying good day to you was the hardest.
I know because I was there too.
second day.
your tummy seems to be hopping.
your hands seem to be wiggling.
your skins seem to be softer to smile.
your legs seem to be faster to skip.
saying good day to you was delight.
you already made a friend.
your ability amazes me.
I sure know I was there too but I cannot remember how I did.
If I knew the answer, surely I don’t struggle like I do now.
無限大
(i like this one in Japanese particular, but my nearest translation in English will follow)
あかいせん
ちゃいろいはし
はなまる
しんかんせん と おひさま
にじ
くさ と すべりだい
あおぞら と クレーンしゃ
ないてるかお
わらってるかお
いちばんぼし のれんしゅう
ちからもちになったきぶん
ねこじゃらし
えぷろんしているおかあさんがパンケーキをつくってる、ポーンって
それをみておどろいているわたし
「なんでもいい」って無限大。
出てくる 出てくる 無限大。
なのに、「なんでもいい」がいつから難しくなったのかな。
書けない、描けない、無限大。
limitless
red line
brown bridge
hanamaru
bullet train and sun
rainbow
grass and slide
blue sly and mobile crane
crying face smiling face
practising stars
feeling of being powerful
nekojyarashi
mummy making pancake with an apron on, then flipping a pan like this (insert movement sound)
and i’m watching like ‘wow’
anything is limitless
everything is limitless
never stopping limitless
but somehow that limitless has become difficult
can’t write that limitless
can’t draw that limitless 
i love you
i love you
i love you
the word i did not know when i was you
i love you
i love you
i love you
the sound i try to hold before it disappears
* * *
Many thanks to Huma for inspiring me to write as I am.