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Afterimage

 

Afterimage

 

Reportage to what end?

Grade 5 Show & Tell

How do I present to you his face?

A red tartan scarf held by his specs to form a face mask slash kid’s tv puppet rabbit

Above his older grey-suited man’s gait

Was he performing a lampoon?

One never knows intention in the Swanston Street parade

But it was certainly very funny

Really tickled my fancy

He looked like a serious man

But perhaps that was his schtick?

Its afterimage echoing throughout the day

In the first poem my first wife translated from the Japanese for me

The word “afterimage” featured

I was called to by Japan today 25 years later

In the form of a Suntory Premium Malt beer advertisement 

How could I communicate this to the waitresses?

Such a polite society

A rambler like me flounders

2 ears 1 mouth

Whereas I’m 1 mouth 2 ears

& a little queer

 

 

Published & Copyright Malachi Doyle 2025.

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