An Embarrassing Experience In The Train Poem by Toshie Nohara

Thousands and thousands of people commute by train
In Japan everyday
In the morning rush hour
Expert 'pushers' at most busy stations
Hurriedly pushed the big crowd of passengers into the train
before the automatic doors could
shut on time for the journey
And only lucky passengers could get seats for themselves
Pity only standing room for the slower passengers.

One fine Wednesday, on my way to study Bible
in a far away church from my home
I, a simple devoted old lady
With snow-white hair
Patiently stood for nearly two hours
behind a man facing the window-side of this train
Lo and behold
suddenly the speedy train
Lurched and lurched! What's happening?
Poor me, being short couldn't clutch
the strap properly for safety
Accidently I knocked onto the shoulder of this man!
Oh no!
So shocked was I to find my lipstick mark on
his white, starched shirt!

Terribly embarrassed, I apologized
'Gomennasai Gomennasai-Sorry, Sorry'
He turned back to look at me, then said
'Daijobu, Daijobu', meaning 'its okay, its okay'
Oh dear, no way for me to wipe off
the lipstick mark
Worried I wondered how
he would react when teased by his friends at work
Panicked I wondered how
he would answer when or if
His wife were to demand an explanation!
Pity him indeed,
He being innocent

Dear God, I fervently prayed
She would Not be Suspicious
Or accuse him of being
Unfaithful!
Oh, no

That embarrassing experience
Taught me to be careful
When riding a crowded train
in the morning rush hour
Especially when thousands and thousands of people
fight their way to get a seat for themselves

Yes, oh yes, an old lady like me
Ought to cling to the strap
Yes, oh yes, got to be wiser to be
early at the station
No more embarrassment
When I can find a seat
in the train next trip.