GENIE’S LAMP: Unsung Waka
By GENIE NAKANO *waka means little song in Japanese
poets many we are stuck in journals, notebooks, garage sales the un-sung ‘waka’ heroes
not relevant, poets are read about in English I shelved in libraries (Sylvia Plath killed herself)
Father was a poet his poems never saw the light of day hidden in a closet five thousand poems
I write to make up for Dad’s eclipsed realities sewing the tapestry I can hear him smile
one day I wrote a story of stories at the end, I die not sure if I go to heaven or…
so I trash it hire a ghost writer we start all over with a strange beginning I am being born
Genie Nakano is widely published in journals, and her recent books, Enter the Stream and Storyteller are available on Amazon. She teaches gentle yoga and tanka at the Japanese Cultural Center in Gardena. Genie can be reached by email.