The Real Traveller Poem by john tiong chunghoo

she was so proud
she visited japan
at last and its big cities
in the last one month
it was summer
and everywhere she goes
she boasted about it
of course to me too
who stayed there two years
'well have you been
to all the cities? ' she asked
self conceited.
i said humbly 'No.'

But then i know
she would not know
how a forlorn sakura tree
and its sparse bloom
would look like on the road
side in busy shinjuku

and how terribly humid
summer can be in Chiba
where restaurants are packed
with crowds going to the beach
and disneyland

and how terribly sweet
golden yellow persimmons would
cheer up a gloomy drizzling autumn

and how long the day would be
in cold cold winter when
what you want to do is just
lie down and stay in bed