01 • Senryu Trio
convenience store
onigiri again—
sumo diet
-
stoic giants
flank a tiny referee—
he yells louder
-
the yokozuna
earns disqualification—
he blinks two times
02 • Imayo
sing-song intonation rings—the ritual breathes
slowly like a dreaming whale—titans file in
while drumbeats scatter like birds—salt arcs through the air
to chase the demons away—they remain to watch
03 • Gogyohka
the referee carries
a symbolic sword
to sate the shinto gods
with his own blood
should he err
Inspired by the occasion of the Nagoya basho (tournament) in Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, July 6–20, 2003.
During that basho, the Mongolian rikishi (wrestler) Asashōryū was in his first year at Yokozuna rank but withdrew due to injury after 10 bouts. He had been disqualified earlier in the tournament for pulling on his opponent:s chonmage (topknot).
Evidently the poor sportsmanship spilled out of the dohyo (ring). Asashōryū even knocked the side mirror off his opponent:s car after they scuffled in the bathroom.
1
Onigiri is seaweed wrapped around sticky rice wrapped around a filling. I usually got one tuna mayo and one kombu.
Mark, I am new to reading these haikus about Japan. Were you there as a teacher? What an experience!