The Pandemic has closed

the theaters and cinemas.

 

On stage a lone actor commits

suicide in the loneliness.

 

On screen the two lovers run to each

other against the march of soldiers.

 

The actor’s death is an extravagant fake,

a nod to the art of dying a good stage death.

 

The lovers perform erotic asphyxiation

until the man seems to fall deeply asleep.

 

The actor pulls the dagger from his neck,

red silk flowing freely from his throat.

 

In the light motes coming from the projector

Sada realizes that Kichizo has died.

 

The red silk now entombs Sensei Omiya

like a gown as he reaches out to Sada’s cry.

 

Sada kisses Kichizo for the final time

as she removes Kichizo‘s blade.

 

Sensei Omiya drowns in a swell of red silk.

“Sada, my child, what shame have you brung?”

 

Sada cuts Kichizo’s penis off cleanly carrying

it inside her as she madly wanders Tokyo.

 

The projector clicks off, the house lights fade.

The transformation is done.

The performance is over