Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita Poem by Diana van den Berg

Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita
Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita
I want to learn Japanese
not because of your excellent performance
in winning the gold medal in the high bar
at the Olympics
in the magical city of Athens,
but because of the music
of your names and those of your three team members.
I wish I could remember them all
for I would say them - all five -
one after the other
over and over
and again and again and again
like a waterfall
like a bed of colourful flowers
like a Japanese painting …
but I can’t remember them …
and so I will have to spend years
learning Japanese,
and make music with
“The vase is on the table, ”
but for now
I will make do with
Takahira-Yashima-Hiroyuka-Tomita-Takahira-Yashima-Hiroyuka-Tomita-Takahira-Yashima-Hiroyuka-Tomita

(17 August 2004)