it comes
once in a while
this morning
molecules moving in my ears
play the noise of silence

let the chin drop
the TMJ joint loosen
get gelatin soft
unfurl the spinal cord
the grass needs to be watered

once in a while
hang this world up in the closet
be kind to yourself
rest, snooze, sleep
like dogs do when sick

once in a while
this white noise of silence
falls over the edge
of a flattened world
into a sea of maple syrup

once in a while
all the birds sleep till noon
the earth worms
move and till the earth
and the grass turns green again

Genie Nakano,
Originally published in
International Tanka, No 18 2025
Tokyo, Japan, Publisher, Aya Yuki