Mr. Hidari

You knew that time
Left alone was flimsy
And a little sad, like a bath
When the water’s gone tepid

And you’re old;
You lower yourself
Your brittle trove of bones
And waste in nakedness.

Those few gray hairs
On your paunch: one long
And odd and strangely black,
Floats like a thin reed

And you recall those girls
You teased and entered,
They winced and lisped,
Flushed warm with life.

You knew those supple beauties:
Toes, thighs, arms, breasts - then -
As you know the twinge in your jaw
Or the dry pressure of soles on tatami.

Now, you’re alone,
With a sponge and the moon,
Gather your knees in your arms.