RETURN
a poem by Yuri Kageyama March 15, 2022
hissing envy
bloating venom
spitting hurt
killing ideas
nuking careers
churning rage
obliterating emotion
reigning supreme
queen viciousness
in and out
out and in
burning hate
sparking fear
digesting guts
defeating purpose
screeching bitch
HOPE
a poem by Yuri Kageyama March 13, 2022
My son used to say:
Mommy, your boiled eggs are so good,
The best in the world;
We would sit together on the grass,
Munching on boiled eggs
Simply perfect,
Smoothly moist when peeled:
Mama no yude tamago wa sekai ichi oishiinda
That little voice promises;
How blessed I am to be in a world
That has the chicken and the egg,
Whichever came first, and clean water to boil.
How blessed I am to be in a world
To have a son who sees love
In an egg boiled in water.
ASYLUM
A poem by Yuri Kageyama Feb. 26, 2022
She barely remembers the rape
Monsters grow only in drugless sleep
She is well taken care of
—
Air raid on Tokyo
Baghdad
Dresden
Ukraine
— —
She no longer draws but
Cuts papers of color
Into ferns and flowers
— — —
Hunger in Biafra
A scream in Vietnam
Van Gogh’s ear
THE AFTERLIFE
A poem by Yuri Kageyama Feb. 23, 2022
The mass of meat
In a heap like a grave,
Cold, still
Amid wafting incense,
The moans and chants of mourning,
Eyes closed, hands clasped
Frozen in motion,
I lose interest:
Those motions of burial and propriety,
Those greetings, sympathy, tears;
He is no longer there,
Not in that body,
Twitching twisting growling in incoherence,
More and more silent
Over the years,
He is no longer there:
At last,
He is gone
A poem by Yuri Kageyama inspired by Winchester Nii Tete Boye’s song
Omaley YOU ARE LYING 嘘バッカ
A poem by Yuri Kageyama inspired by Winchester Nii Tete Boye’s song. Feb. 22, 2022
^_1_<
学校の先生
可愛かったモトカレ
パワハラ上司
天国と地獄
^___<
みんな嘘つき
嘘バッカ
心痛む
Omaley
^_2_<
選挙の候補
世界平和
頑張りは成功
我慢は最高
^___<
みんな嘘つき
嘘バッカ
心痛む
Omaley
^_3_<
バーゲンの店員
化粧品の広告
株はもうかる
神は永遠
^___<
みんな嘘つき
嘘バッカ
心痛む
Omaley
^_4_<
宇宙開発
原子力安全
正義と平等
家族愛
^___<
みんな嘘つき
嘘バッカ
心痛む
Omaley
By Coincidence _ a poem by Yuri Kageyama
偶然は
ないようであるし
あるようでない
全ては必然
あるべきは
うまれるまえから
宇宙のはてまで
つながってる
目の前の永遠を
見逃さない
耳
目
心
持てるかは
偶然では
ない
What’s in a Name
By Yuri Kageyama
Oct. 17, 2021 at a Japan Writers Conference presentation on lyric poetry by Michael Frazier
Expanded Nov. 6, 2021
Yuri in Japanese
Means “superior reasoning”
But all while I was growing up
I was Julie
Because no one can say Yuri
Though Julie really doesn’t sound like
Yuri Yoo-hoo You-lie
Just a way to make sure a Kid gets it,
Who she is,
Yellow face gook smile slant eyes:
I was 6
When I was called the J-word,
Funny how we remember
No matter how many years pass;
I was on the school bus,
The boy who yelled it out was laughing
(I came home and asked my father what it meant)
We are that missing face
That missing name, missing word, missing voice
Devoid of Definition,
That deep pathetic silence
Between meanings
Like a choked sigh drifting through history
In that eternal American conversation
Between White
And Black
MY CREATIVE WRITING IN THIS NEW BOOK
Great company I keep in BIGOTRY ON BROADWAY, an anthology edited by Ishmael Reed and Carla Blank, Baraka Books, September 2021.
From the publishers on the book cover:
“How do intellectuals and scholars feel about how members of their ethnic groups are portrayed on Broadway? How would we know? Very few of them have the power to rate which plays and musicals are worthy and which are flops, and above all, be heard or read. The American critical fraternity is an exclusive club.”
A review in Library Journal Sept. 1, 2021:
“Blank and Reed offer an incisive, critical take on Broadway’s past and present; discuss an alternative vision that incorporates the perspectives missing from Broadway; and look toward a more inclusive future. A book for all readers interested in the history of Broadway musicals, theater criticism, and the role of whiteness in Broadway’s misrepresentations.”
My AP Stories for 2021 are below. Please click on the highlighted links to read my AP Stories, and to go to My AP Stories for 2020, and My AP Stories for 2019 and 2018:
My AP Story Dec. 31, 2021 on the suspect in a clinic fire dying.
My AP Story Dec. 14, 2021 on Toyota’s Akio Toyoda promising more pure electric models.
My AP Story Dec. 1, 2021 on Japanese boxer Naoya Inoue.
My AP Story Nov. 21, 2021 on Japan’s COVID policy of having sick people just stay at home.
My AP co-byline Story Nov. 29, 2021 on Sapporo wanting the 2030 Olympics.
My AP Story Nov. 29, 2021 on Nissan’s investing in electric vehicles and battery development.
My AP Story Nov. 21, 2021 an Obit on Oscar-winning Japanese costume designer Emi Wada.
My AP Story Nov. 19, 2021 on Japan’s record economic stimulus package.
My AP Story Nov. 14, 2021 on how a princess, who left the imperial palace to marry her college sweetheart, left with him to live in New York.
My AP Story Nov. 12, 2021 about how Toshiba is spinning off its energy and device units.
My AP Story Nov. 9, 2021 about Taiwan’s TSMC building its first Japan plant amid chips crunch.
My AP Story Nov. 4, 2021 about Mazda’s new cars stopping if driver suffers health problem.
My AP Story Nov. 1, 2021 on Kishidanomics and how many people still aren’t sure what it means.
My AP Story Oct. 29, 2021 on how tourists from abroad are nowhere to be seen in Tokyo tourist spots.
My AP Photos:
My AP Story Oct. 27, 2021 an Obit on Sunao Tsuboi, an atomic bomb survivor.
My AP Story Oct. 27, 2021 on the defense’s closing arguments in the case of Greg Kelly.
My AP Story Oct. 25, 2021 in which I interview director Keisuke Yoshida about his movies.
My AP Story Oct. 22, 2021 in which I interview Carlos Ghosn.
My AP Story Aug. 19, 2021 in which I interview Greg Kelly, a former Nissan executive standing trial in the case of Carlos Ghosn.
My AP Story Sept. 29, 2021 on the prosecutors closing their case, asking for two years in prison.
My AP Story and My AP Photos Oct. 8, 2021 of a tour of Nissan’s “intelligent factory.”
My AP Story Oct. 25, 2021 on Toyota testing hydrogen combustion engines.
My AP Story Sept. 28, 2021 on Toyota adding Renovo to its Woven Planet team.
The AP Story Sept. 25, 2021, to which I am a Contributor, on the Quad summit at the White House.
My AP Story Aug. 20, 2021 an obituary on Sonny Chiba who played martial artists in many films, including “Kill Bill.”
My AP Story Aug. 17, 2021, an obit on the “Godfather of Sudoku.”
My AP Story Aug. 16, 2021 on Japan extending and expanding the coronavirus state of emergency.
My AP Story July 30, 2021 about the Tokyo Olympics collecting lots of spit in an effort to curb COVID.
A great “memory shot” by Kii Sato of where I did a video interview for The AP on the Olympic opening ceremony. It was just across the street but because of blocked off traffic I had to make a giant detour and was drenched in sweat when I finally got there. But Yes, I did the interview!
My AP Story Aug. 5, 2021 on what Japan’s “emergency” means during the Olympics.
My AP Explainer Story July 30, 2021 on Japan’s state of emergency.
My AP Story July 27, 2021 on Japan’s disbelief, support after Naomi Osaka’s elimination.
I interviewed the Blue Impulse pilot and the youngster who ran with the torch-runner for this AP Story July 30, 2021 about memories of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
My AP Story Aug. 29, 2021 on Japan aiming to fully vaccinate its people by October or November.
My AP Story Aug. 19, 2021 about Toyota scaling back production due to pandemic-related parts shortages.
My AP Story Aug. 18, 2021 on Japan’s trade data.
My AP Story Aug. 16, 2021 on Japan eking out growth in a gradual recovery from the pandemic.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story July 31, 2021 about the Japanese Olympic judo team.
My AP Story July 19, 2021 about the American father and son accused in the Carlos Ghosn escape getting sentenced to prison terms by a Japan court.
My AP Story July 19, 2021 about Toyota, a top Olympics sponsor, pulling Games-related TV ads.
My AP Story July 21, 2021 on Toyota adding to its technology partnership.
My AP Story and AP Photos July 18, 2021 on the protest against the Olympics and more.
My AP Story July 19, 2021 about the Japanese composer tendering his resignation.
My AP Story July 18, 2021 on the Japanese composer for the Tokyo Olympics apologizing for perpetrating abuse.
My AP Story Aug. 10, 2021 on SoftBank’s earnings.
My AP Story July 15, 2021 on Toyota investing in digital mapping.
My AP Story July 13, 2021 about Fujifilm finding new niches, record profits amid pandemic.
My AP Story July 7, 2021 on Nissan’s CEO testifying in court about Carlos Ghosn’s compensation.
My AP Story July 21, 2021 about Japan’s exports, imports zooming amid a pandemic recovery.
My AP Story July 5, 2021 about the Tokyo city assembly election amid pandemic Olympic fears.
My AP Story July 3, 2021 on the mudslide that tore through Atami.
My AP Story July 2, 2021 on the Americans accused in the escape of Carlos Ghosn. Michael Taylor, choking over tears, told the court: “I stand here today a man whose life has been destroyed because of this.”
My AP Story June 30, 2021 on SoftBank denying it’s pulling the plug on the Pepper robot.
My AP Story June 25, 2021 about Toshiba’s shareholders’ meeting.
My AP Story June 21, 2021 on the first day of the Japanese companies’ mass vaccination drive. I also did AP Video today.
My AP Story June 20, 2021 on the arriving Uganda Olympic team having a member test positive for COVID.
My AP Story June 15, 2021 about vaccine laggard Japan stepping up shots with company efforts.
My AP Story June 29, 2021 on the Taylors apologizing to the court.
My AP Story June 14, 2021 on the Taylors’ trial starting.
My AP Story June 13, 2021 on the trial of the two Americans suspected in Carlos Ghosn’s escape.
My AP Story June 7, 2021 on Toyota reaching a settlement over bullied engineer’s suicide.
My AP Story May 26, 2021 about Carlos Ghosn’s interview defending Greg Kelly on trial in Japan.
My AP Story May 23, 2021 about IOC’s Coates getting a backlash on his remark about the Olympics being held even in an emergency.
My AP Story May 21, 2021 when he made the remark.
My AP Story May 20, 2021 about TV stars playing lovers really getting married.
My AP Story May 18, 2021 about Japan’s economy shrinking as pandemic dries up spending.
My AP Story May 14, 2021 on the petition demanding cancellation of the Olympics being submitted.
My AP Story May 12, 2021 on Greg Kelly testifying in his trial, saying he just worked for Nissan’s best interests.
My AP Story March 26, 2021 about how the Nissan-Renault rift is getting highlighted at the trial of former Nissan executive Greg Kelly.
My AP Story May 11, 2021 on Carlos Ghosn’s answers to prosecutors being read by the defense lawyer in the trial of former Nissan executive Greg Kelly.
My AP Story May 6, 2021 about a petition drive demanding the Olympics be canceled.
My AP Story May 3, 2021 about nurses dismayed by Tokyo Olympics’ request for help.
I’m a Contributor to this AP Story May 19, 2021 about doctors asking to cancel the Games.
My AP Story May 6, 2021 on Nintendo profits booming as people staying home turn to games.
My AP Story May 1, 2021 on the torch relay detoured and other Tokyo Olympics developments.
My AP Story April 28, 2021 on June trial set in Japan for the Americans accused of helping Carlos Ghosn escape.
My AP Story April 27, 2021 on Toyota acquiring Lyft.
My AP Story April 14, 2021 on the president of Toshiba stepping down.
My AP Story April 13, 2021 on the late Nintendo president and his book.
My AP Story April 12, 2021 on Japan’s celebrating Hideki Matsuyama’s Masters win.
My AP Story April 15, 2021 about ruling party politicians expressing doubts about holding the Olympics.
My AP Story April 7, 2021 on Toshiba saying it had received a preliminary acquisition proposal.
My AP Story April 1, 2021 about the Bank of Japan survey showing optimism about a recovery.
My AP Story March 30, 2021 about how some medical experts aren’t convinced about holding the Olympics.
My AP Story March 21, 2021 on Hitachi acquiring GlobalLogic for $9.6 billion.
My AP Story March 24, 2021 on Toyota, Isuzu, Hino setting up tie-up in truck technology.
My AP Story March 23, 2021 on Japan spending billions on coronavirus tracking app for absent Olympic fans.
My AP Story March 22, 2021 about Japan charging two Americans in the escape of Carlos Ghosn.
My AP Photo and My AP Story March 5, 2021 and AP Interview with the chief defense lawyer for Greg Kelly on trial in Japan on charges related to Carlos Ghosn’s compensation.
My AP Photo and My AP Story March 4, 2021 about animation film “Demon Slayer” striking a chord with pandemic-era Japan.
My AP Story March 18, 2021 about the Tokyo Olympics being hit by another scandal over sexist comments.
My AP Story March 18, 2021 on Japan raising tariffs on U.S. beef after hitting import limit.
My AP Story March 12, 2021 on Japan’s post office tying up with Rakuten.
My AP Story March 2, 2021 explaining what might be ahead for the American father and son being extradited to Japan on suspicion of helping Carlos Ghosn skip bail and escape to Lebanon.
My AP Story March 1, 2021 on the prime minister’s PR chief resigning after lavish meal tied to broadcaster.
My AP Story Feb. 26, 2021 on Japan partially ending the state of emergency, while keeping it for the Tokyo area.
My AP Story Feb. 24, 2021 on Nissan’s former chief executive testifying in a criminal trial.
My AP Story Feb. 19, 2021 on Honda’s tapping a research expert as its new president.
My AP Story Feb. 14, 2021 on another protest in Tokyo against the military coup in Myanmar.
My AP Story Feb. 11, 2021 about thousands of people from Myanmar in Japan demanding democracy back home.
My AP Story Feb. 15, 2021 about Japan’s economy growing in the final quarter of 2020 in a gradual recovery from the pandemic slump.
My AP News Alert and Story Feb. 13 ~14, 2021 on the strong earthquake that hit northeastern Japan.
My AP Story Feb. 10, 2021 on Toyota’s earnings recovering from effects of the pandemic.
My AP Story Feb. 9, 2021 about Nissan staying in the red amid pandemic, Japan criminal trial.
My AP Story Feb. 9, 2021 on Honda’s profits rising despite pandemic damage.
My AP Story Feb. 8, 2021 on SoftBank’s profit zooming on lucrative investments.
My AP Story Feb. 8, 2021 is the Markets report for the day.
I’m a contributor to this AP Story Feb. 12, 2021, the day Mori is expected to officially resign.
I’m a contributor to this AP Story Feb. 4, 2021 about a Japanese Olympic official facing calls for resignation after a remark apparently belittling women.
My AP Story Feb. 3, 2021 on Sony’s profits booming on “Demon Slayer” hit.
My AP Story Feb. 1, 2021 on how Nintendo’s profits are soaring as people play games during the pandemic.
My AP Story Jan. 12, 2021 on the testimony of Nissan’s former COO on how the automaker sought to hide Carlos Ghosn’s pay.
My AP Story Jan. 7, 2021 on Japan declaring a state of emergency for Tokyo, and three nearby prefectures, after coronavirus cases surge.
My AP Story Jan. 8, 2021 on the first day for Japan under the state of emergency.
My AP Story Jan. 11, 2021 on the Japan material for The Latest on the virus.
My AP Story Jan. 10, 2021 on the Japan material for The Latest on the virus.
My AP Story Jan. 9, 2021 on the Japan material for The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic.
My AP Story Jan. 6, 2021 on coronavirus cases reaching a daily record in Tokyo.
My AP Story Jan. 4, 2021, a co-byline with our AP Sports Writer, on pandemic worries looming as the countdown clock for the postponed Tokyo Olympics hits 200 days to go.
My AP Story Jan. 1, 2021 on the emperor turning to video for his New Year’s Day message.