West Coast USA

Mount Hood a day`s trip
Frozen reaches in a cold grip
By the Timberline Lodge impressed
With pizza and cocoa hot refreshed


My mission, study on aids for teaching
Warehouses with equipment for borrowing
Portland Teachers helped in this way
Standards have improved they say


Mt Hood volcano now dormant
A capturing view at that moment
Tales of volcanic ash everything covering
Any time, bad times can hit, never forgetting


To San Francisco, one and half hours flight
The Pickwick Hotel for us just right
A stretched limousine at our disposal
For visits followed the chauffeur's proposals


Across the Golden Gate Bridge
Tall elegant Rosewood trees at the edge
The tree house spectacular
Botanical Gardens for all popular

Fisherman`s Wharf by tram car
China Town houses not too far
View of notorious Alcatraz across the bay
Fogless view we got that day


For film and TV industries just the place
Hollywood in bold letters on a hill face
Celebrity hand and foot prints on sidewalk
To Hollywood Boulevard people flock


At UCLA`s Department of Education
Discussed teacher instruction
Programmes for ethnic minorities
High on their priorities


‘I am your host for the day’
A man turned up to say
Showed us Los Angeles` sights
His Beverley Hills home showed wealthy might


To a Mexican restaurant taken
Tortas and Tequillas sure to awaken
Waiters in colourful aprons and mini sombreros
A flavour of rural Mexico

A visit to the legendary Disney Land
As though created by a magic wand
Fairy tale castle minarets arise
Walt Disney`s vision earns much praise


Street party parade drawing crowds
Dance music from speakers loud
People joining in to do the conga
Then breaking into the rumba


Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and friends waddle
On and off the floats they tumble
Pom-pom like girls dancing on steel drums
Loud music making the place hum


Paddle boat paddling along
Side paddle boat to Mark Twain`s time belong
A party going on aboard
Time for this they can afford


People relaxed and friendly
With much bonhomie
No cares for the morrow
Now is the time to wallow

Saw the best of America on display
Admired the American way
Attention to detail given
Work and play combined often

M.P. Prabhakar
1.6.2016
PJ

Maple Leaves

Vancouver a warm welcoming
Our interests in skills training
How they choose vocations
To study these a good location


The Centre for many courses caters
Woodwork, highways, health, skills for waiters
Enhancing job opportunities
Bravely dealing with life`s necessities


A mixed population of many races
Mainly Asian faces
Vancouver then was thriving
Talented, the economy fast moving


Maple leaves, changing colour, in the fall
Eleven pointed leaf, Canada`s national symbol
Maple syrup, topping waffles and pancakes
A wonderful experience all this make


Limericks` Raheen Business Park
Precision medical devises making their mark
Other courses engineering, retail, financial
A helpful policy made official

Wide expanse of Lake Ontario
By its edge the city of Toronto
Cars drive, houses moved over frozen lake
Difficult for me of these sense to make


Toronto’s` International Business Centre
Renowned for finance, arts and culture
Across lake Ontario, Buffalo
Easy access with a map to follow.


Courses needing high motivation
Students enjoying challenges of innovation
Varied choices for all ages
Equipped to earn good wages


Ottawa well up on skills training
Studied their system of skills providing
Victorian architecture, sentiments awakening
Rideau Canal in winter for skating


Niagara Falls one must visit
US border within sight
Rainbow Bridge connecting New York State
Maid of the Mist boat ride await


Nova Scotia next to visit
Skills training gaining merit
Puffins, seals, kayaking
A place for whale watching


Atlantic Hotel place of stay
Chowder soup, crashing waves made my day
Prince Edward Island, red sand beaches
Birds, seals in watery reaches


Their Flag, St Andrew`s cross in reverse
At the center, the Scottish Royal Arms
People of Nova Scotia with a Scottish accent
Curried meat as starter, a welcome moment


Every good thing comes to an end
My travels fond memories they send
Back to Vancouver across the continent
With a heart full of contentment


The dolphin show a breath taker
Romping dolphins a show maker
Leaping high and wild
With cries of joy like a child

Return flight to Hong Kong trembling
Planes engine troubling
A tropical storm settling in
Ours, last plane to fly in


Runway into Victoria Harbour jutting
A very scary landing
After an overnight stay
To Bangkok made our way


My brown oversized bag now like a rag
With a Canadian sticker flag
Back home the next day
Kelana Jaya where I stay


Home sweet home I always feel
Even if with jet lag I reel
No experience can beat
My home even with the heat


M P Prabhakar
25.5.2016
PJ

Paper Cranes

A six hour flight

From K.L. overnight

Food choice of Japanese

Soba soup and lychees

Tokyo Narita airport large sprawling

Immigration customs baggage claiming

Made my way to the Reception Counter

For information on bus departures

Everyone so polite helpful

To the taxi stand made it cheerful

Taxis clean and spotless

Doors drivers open and close

To Shibuya made our way

Using highways and byways

Concrete buildings all over

Using elevated flyovers

Shibuya like an ant`s nest

Flickering signboards for the eyes no rest

Many roads here converge

Pedestrians into all this merge

Nighttime whole place comes alive

Eating shops bars basement dives

A favourite place for me a pizza restaurant

Very much a German establishment

Shibuya station busy morning and evenings

People to work and back travelling

Very good pastry shops at the station

Cakes pastries cookies at strategic locations

In front of Shibuya station a dog`s statue

Hachiko a legend for devotion and virtue

Waiting for his master instead of roaming

This time his master died when home coming

But Hachiko continued waiting

Always at the time of master`s returning

This went on even with master`s absence

People began to notice Hachiko`s presence

Hachiko died heart broken

His faith till the end unshaken

So moved everyone was

Decided on a statue for this loss

                                                                           

Taken to Japanese restaurant

For commuters a favourite haunt

Tempura soba sushi yakitori

Sake rice selecting from such variety

Springtime at the gardens hardly any room

Sakura cherry blossoms in full bloom

Sitting on a bench in a quiet corner

A treat to the eyes as the day gets warmer

To Nagoya by bullet train

Almost like flying even in the rain

Nagoya castle atop a hill

Made my way uphill with strong will

In the castle many nooks and corners

Hiding places for Ninja warriors

An ancient feudal tradition

Intrigue stealth needed in such situations

Visit to Hiroshima for me a sad moment

Shed tears at the children`s monument

By the atomic bomb many children died

Their skins melted as if fried

Today at the children`s monument

Paper Cranes hang in memory of the moment

A soul wrenching experience

The nation never fails in this observance

I stood by the side of the monument

Hung a paper Crane at that moment

My tears unable to stop

Got a photograph from the souvenir shop  

Stayed overnight at a Japanese inn

Inn keeper does everything our hearts to win

Changed into a Yukuta  a cotton kimono

A good night`s sleep refreshed for the morrow

In the morning refreshed and calm

Using a quilt to keep warm

Food served on a low table

Kneeling trying hard to keep stable

For a Japanese bath joined the lot

Stark necked in water piping hot

To scrub my back someone always willing

I do the same with good feelings

                                                                              

One feels at home in such a place

Reluctant to leave routine life to face

The innkeeper makes all the difference

For the traveler a warm friendly presence

Japan for me a special place

Its people humble with kind ways

I often think of Japan

Feel elated every time.

M P Prabhakar

13.5.2016

PJ