[JAMES]
Beautiful hotel
Surrounds fine sculpted garden
Feels like history.
[LUCY]
Strangely empty room;
Ascetic. But where’s my bed?
Fragrant tatami
Japanese ryokan:
Pay much more; sleep on the floor.
Must be high culture.
Public bath, at night
With a women’s football team
James is quite jealous
Tried to navigate
Steep stairs in slippy slippers.
Banged head on beam. Ouch.
I though, am right-sized
That’s less fun with grumpy James
Laughing does not help
Honoured guest; kind host.
Shown how to use my chopsticks.
Perhaps I look dumb?
Breakfast of poached eggs
Soft poached, eaten with chopsticks
I yearn for Starbucks
Fine Yukuta robe.
Worn at dinner after bath.
Dangling free – most strange.
I wear my robe wrong,
Kind hostess tells me (firmly)
“Like a corpse”. Stylish.