Yarrow House

Tokyo Delivery Boy

He steers his bicycle with one hand 
weaving through the crowded street
around an old woman in a dark kimono
and lacy mauve wool shawl,

between three school boys in blue
serge uniforms, scattering them,
in and out avoiding two small 
fluffy white poodles on leashes,

steering between taxi and truck
while balancing on one hand 
a red lacquer tray with two
covered bowls of noodles and soup.

Published in Borderlands 1999

Onetime reproduction for non-resale purposes permitted by the author with the following credit line: by J Yarrow