by Tamiko Dooley (July 2021)
The Green Hill, Winslow Homer, 1878
Yurushi (Forgiveness)
Last night I dreamt of you:
You were turned away as we spoke
I couldn’t see your face
You were kneeling on the floor
Facing the fusuma door as it slid shut
Closing on all my mistakes
I heard your voice, as rough as the scales of salmon
You’d grab with yellow rubber gloves
As she swam upstream
I felt the brush of your shoulder
As I reached for you to explain
But you didn’t move
I tasted the bitter dregs of hojicha tea
Left to brew all evening
And when my forehead touched the tatami floor in apology
You were turned away
I couldn’t see your face
Choices (Erabu)
If I dream of you,
I steal you into my mind,
Or you choose to come?
yume no naka
kimi o sarauka
kimi ga kuru?
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Tamiko Dooley is a half-Japanese mother of two, born and raised in England. When there’s no pandemic, she’s hired as a wedding pianist from time to time.
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