Netsuke by Gabby Tyrell

Netsuke (Manju) taken from image Tales in the Round on museum website

Poem 1

Sweetcake

Carved by father’s hands over time

The man who dressed in a hurry - late for his meeting ran

through the village.

Hair slapdash with no care

Robes like open sails

Swirled around Sweetcake

destination unsure.

A smile crept across father’s face

With tools called Sou Sou and Mou.

He caught this moment in Netsuke.

This story is between you and me.

A secret laid bare Sweetcake

aptly named Loved his Netsuke

Each crumb and wrap of material

Belied his fate.

Fined 200 Yuan for once again being late.

Gabby Tyrrell

  

Poem 2

The tax collector

Carved by hands in ancient times in ivory

Or wood

the man who dressed in a hurry

late for the ceremony ran past me.

Robes unfurled like open sails

his hair slapdash.

Father in a time long gone watched and smiled

Carved this scene as Netsuke

-  this story between you and me.

The tax collector Sweetcake

Was fined 200 Yuan for his love of Netsuke

made him late once too often.

Now his wife makes him shop.

He always walking, put on a diet of veg and rice,

head bowed in front of his wife.

Gabby Tyrrell