Sad little poems from Japan
(No. 1)

David Yanagawa
has a most unusual hobby:
he collects, exclusively
the David Michimaki.
So far, he has 6.

One he strolled down Fuji with.
One founded the Progressive Party
then ran a seedy bookshop.
(Yanagawa saw his sign
and ventured in.)
One used to be an ant, he claimed.
But David Y. has saved them all
freeing them to now become
nothing but themselves.

The Tokyo Central phone book
contains no less than 28 David Michimakis:
enough to occupy our friend
for many years.
But little does he know:
there are 37 entries for the
David Yanagawa.

And what does he do, you ask,
with all those Michimakis?
Just the usual thing -
stores them in a sliding cupboard
with plenty of good air
and nourishing fresh water.

But in future they will starve.
Today he dropped his business card
near a strong man in the street.

"Aha! I see your name is
David Yanagawa.
Mine is Michimaki.
Do you know,
I have a most unusual hobby..."

Dennis List