not beer
or wine
or some cocktail
but Irish
yes, Irish
flowing down my throat
once again
but sleep
that erstwhile companion
elusive still
sleepless nights
this long night
the candle flickers
a last breath
on this long night
of empty glasses
and a restless cat
coffee
it’s not the coffee
that keeps me up
at night
but oh how I wish
it was
forever lost at 3am
all the good
erased
by a careless act
and sleep
forever lost
at 3am
lately, once again
lately
I find the night
does not end
quite as quickly
as before
and sleep
my wayward friend
is vacant
from my bed
I read
put the headphones on
drift off
to somewhere long ago
nibble on cheese
crackers
have a shot
or two
of the Irish
chase it down
with ice cold water
and long
yes, long
for being useful
once again
a tanka by Kakinomoto Hitomaro from The Man’yoshu
The traveler sojourning
on the fields of Aki
stretches as in sleep,
yet he cannot sleep,
thinking of the past.
translated by Ian Hideo Levy