He only made paper planes
bearing sappy sonnets
that flew over to Naoko Satomi
when she acquired tuberculosis
He did not just imagine meeting her again in the meadows
he stayed at bedside
folded origami delicately
as she heaved her last breath
He designed 3D planes
that magically transport bodies
to where the wind rises
as Naoko paints their pretty portraits
He did not just oppose futile wars in his diary
he made plane-shaped letters
mailed them to the Empire
with a HELL NO
People did not cheer for a film
somewhat celebrating tools of annihilation
and I was not clapping with them
before I knew it was based on a true story
In my dreams Jiro Horikoshi did not make fighter planes
that bombed Pearl Harbor
brought them soldiers to my home
and killed my people
This poem was first published in The Daily Drunk on February 2, 2023.
