His Japanese lecture tour
is not going to plan.
He blames it on jet lag,
dodgy sushi, yokai
and his inability to choose
between red and blue
toilet paper
which upsets the hotel’s
resident Aka Manto.
The cat experiment had failed
with the collapse of the wave
function into a Bakeneko
that shape-shifted into
Amazake-babaa, who demanded
sweet sake from the students
and infected them with plague.
Kasha descended and removed
the corpses.
Time to leave, if he can.
Back at the hotel, he sits
with Aka Manto, discussing
bathroom décor, waiting
for an early flight
or Shinigami.
I very much liked this, Martin, but wonder if seven Japanese words are too many to look up? The problem is some are crucial to the sense of the poem and not knowing their meaning leaves the reader somewhat perplexed. Nevertheless, I like the idea of Schrodinger passing time by discussing bathroom decor.