horse /

in a silvered past

he bears his brother’s weight

all the way to school

sheep /

an old pupil

rises to pay his respects

blushing in a dark suit

monkey /

in stockinged feet

we kneel on fresh tatami

enveloped by gongs

bird /

forty-ninth day

the summer breeze lifts him up, up

no need for dry bones

dog /

that day he waited

for us at Tokyo Station

so long

boar /

your platform ticket

ran out ages ago opapa-chan –

we’ll be a while yet