IMPROVISATION#279
KITASONO KATUE'S HOUR
1902-1978

Sleeping among
a bird's nest
and statue
on the Common
resting with a day dream
asleep again
now keeping awake
among fallen branches
from a recent snow storm
reading the dark surrealism
of Katasono Katu
a tourist to Boston notices me
takes my photo
in the sunshine
we speak in French
then slowly reads
to me from an anthology
on my park bench
of his Japanese poetry.