Pain, and the Pacific has had its way, so many tears;

The summons; natural deities, rushing devotees of Southern waters

Join discords of the North and oceanic rivers feed because the glaciers falter.

Nai-no-Kami will no doubt dance. She needs not move far while fears

Of millions, fields and city gates are prey with every passing day.

We view their sighs and gestures, calmly watch and lunch on wonders

At the thought and misery that gorges on the plunder

Of laboured mountains duly noted while we dine. Mere screens relay

Our sympathies as surrogates before us mouth the news in bites, remote,

Confounding empathy of others with our own, and with no more thought

Than is required to vote or tolerate yet another tired announced affair

Convinced we’ve performed our sacred duties. Filtered sage suggestions float
Between commercials; who is dead, and who is dying?

We resign ourselves to daily schedules, and retreat

To mindless repetition, and support of yet another public brawl,

and trash what cannot be understood, change the channel and eat.