Announcements of Love
Shinagawa Station
Express trains
Bullet trains
Local trains
Take a minute,
to say good-bye.
Overhead announcements
Blare and echo:
Japanese
Chinese
Korean
and English
In a month I’ll be back
It’s only 4 weeks
I’m sorry
I’ll miss you terribly
You look at me hurt
Again the announcements
I hear them
Over and over
Do you hear me?
Do you understand?
At the next cycle of announcements
I speak over them.
In their languages
I say the same thing.
So you will hear me
And maybe understand.
Aishteru
Wo ai ni
Sa-lang-hae-yo
I love you
You smile
Your small wave means, “I love you back”