' ' ' ' Tankas Tell Tales Poem by Dónall Dempsey

IT’S HARD TO GIVE AN ENGLISH YOB THE BRUSH OFF.

Pretty Japanese
being bothered in Dutch disco
tells her “botherer”

Her name is “Sayon Ara! ”

Dumb... he not taking the hint.

****

PESTERED TO BITS

OR

('MINIKUI KAO! KUSOTTARE-JIJII! OKASAN DEBESO!
KISAMA NO BABA WO YATCHAO
SHOMBEN DE KAOWO ARATTE KOI! HE DE MO KURAE!
KUSO SHITE SHINE! HIHI-JIJII! INJU! INJU! BAKO! O-BAKA! ') *


Asks for a kiss.
“HAZUKASHII! ”** She declines.
He tries to force her.

“ASHIMOTO NI KI O
TSUKETE! ” ***– then trips him up.

****

HAVING OUR PICTURE TAKEN BY BHUDDA

We place camera
On lap of statue of Buddha
Run back into place.

Smile as camera...whirrs...clicks.
Thank Buddha for taking it.

****

FROM THE LAP OF THE GODS

Disco...glitter ball.
Buddha sitting this one out.
So many statues.

From their stone laps...sweets...reefers.
I clutch at his crotch: peanuts!

***

YUKI...KUKI****

“No...not...snow! ” she beams.
“Flower...eh...chrysanthemum.”
Gentle as snowfall
she...oh...blossoms in my mind
above the disco.

****

* The original title was in demotic Japanese but I thought it was a bit of a mouthful. It was actually this invective screamed at high pitch that sent him scuttling after his...eh...trip!


'UGLY FACE! SHITTY OLD GOAT! YOUR MOTHER HAS A PROTRUDING NAVEL! SCREW YOUR MOTHER! GO WASH YOUR FACE WITH PISS! EAT MY FART! SHIT AND THEN DIE! DIRTY OLD MAN! FILTHY FIEND LASCIVIOUS BEAST! FOOL! GREAT FOOL! '

** “HAZUKASHII! ” = I couldn’t possibly...I’m ashamed...I am embarrassed!

*** “ASHIMOTO NI KI O TSUKETE! ” = “Watch the steps! ”

**** YUKI = SNOW

KUKI = CHRYSANTHEMUM