8.13.2010

The Crossing.

Shibuya

I hear the street campaign of a local politician as I exit the station,
the tinkly sound of a tambourine drawing my eyes to the soapbox -
a middle aged man in neon blue gym shorts serenading a crowd
of could-be supporters.

Meeting eyes with Hachiko, who patiently endures the daily spectacles
from his stone pedestal, we remind each other of the important things
and shoulder our judgment of trivial matters in favor of loyalty,
and in favor of love.

Slipping through the small congregation with a wary smile,
I narrowly miss the outstretched arms of the blind hired hands
full of paper backed fans that seem to draw away on sight -
I can't vote here.

The intersection calls me - all light and sound, all electric life.
Here, I am one of many. Here I am blond, and white, and still invisible.


The sidewalk begins to swell like a wave offshore, building strength -
the people waiting to rush the street the moment a light changes.
I sway with them, dizzy and drowning in the sound of a thousand souls
suspended together.

Red to green.
We all wait for the change that we know is coming.


And we are moved together. The will to go, to cross,
to conquer this concrete moment in time pushes us forward.
Shouldered against one another into the opposite current,
we fight upstream until -

at last, we hit land. Exhilarated, breathless, triumphant - I look back,
there is a new mass already gathering in our wake, patiently waiting
for a sudden change to move them. Here, the struggle is lonely -
but never alone.


af 2010

This is set in Shibuya Crossing - quite possibly the busiest intersection in the world, and it's famous for being thus.  Originally, I was just writing about Shibuya - but I think something a bit deeper surfaced as I was writing.  


Until next time!

8.12.2010

Love Poem Number 137.

This came from a set of prompts - both the title and the first line were the inspiration.

When the ice melts -
I come to you shyly,
eyes cast down like a young girl.

We don't ever have to say "I'm sorry."
The words hang in the air between us
like a thread slowly being stitched.

You sigh as I enter -
staring at you from the doorway,
blurry eyed and biting my bottom lip.

We never need to say the words.
Your footsteps on these hardwood floors
are the sound of absolution.



af july 2010

8.08.2010

Susan is awesome...

Spaghetti Dinner was a blast, and a huge success - a huge thanks to all those who helped, donated, and bought desserts at the auction.  It was a lot of fun and your support means so much to me!

So - my missionary mentor (and former housemate!) Susan Ricketts e-mailed me this past week, from Budapest no less, to invite me to do some kind of independent Bible study (like Berean or a discipleship program) over the course of the next year and to let me know that she'd found me a job.

Praise my sweet Savior, Jesus! A job!

I'll be teaching English at a Christian daycare twice a month in Tokyo. I know what you are thinking - only twice a month?  Twice a month is going to be perfect for me a) I'm there to serve Chi Alpha, the job is to supplement my support budget and gain a bit of new experience b) Japanese kiddos are outrageously adorable and you are going to want to see the pictures and c) erm, I don't really have a C...moving on!

I'm really excited to do Berean or the other study course that is available. Right now, Susan and Joyce are still discussing what I'll be doing as independent study. Whichever they choose, it's going to be awesome and I'm just really excited about the opportunity to grow and expand my boundaries a bit.

I'm about a month out now, folks, so be praying for me and my family as I fight to get all my clothes and essentials into two suitcases! Thank you for your continued support.  Gonna head to bed now, I'm speaking at Church of God in Wagoner in the morning!


For more information, or if you just feel like talking to me:
Amanda Fosburg
P.O. Box 105
Wagoner, OK 74477
fosburg@alumni.nsuok.edu
Facebook: Amanda in Japan