Fukushima: Through a glass darkly



Kusa no to mo           Even a thatched hut sumikawaru yo zo      may change with a new owner hino no ie                   into a doll's house  from  a haiku poem in Oku no Hosomichi (奥の細道) by Matsuo Bashō (松尾 芭蕉) (1644 – 1694) The politicians are "trying very very hard not to lie without telling the truth," Noriko Hama, Vice Dean of Doshisha University in Kyoto. (March 2011)                                                                                                                                                                  Official statements are a form of haiku or senryu in Japan. They exist in themselves without commentary because the commentary is encapsulated within the substance of the statement. Shops often write on their door, 「都合により、閉店致しました」.This translates as we have closed because of 'circumstances' since japanese use ambiquity to avoid offence.     Three poems by Ncube and Romeo Moreno summarize the current official view on the Fukushima nuclear situation. Be Careful Out There (Cathy Ncube)   be careful out there there are cameras near you that showcase your life   Before You Recognize Them ( Cathy Ncube)   Sometimes the whole world has to see your faults  before you recognize them Lack of Guidance (Raul Moreno)   Ship without rudder, On the sea of influence: Direction unknown.