Recent news of shortages in Japan struck me, and I wrote a poem about it, titled "Abundant Supply."

I know there's no shortage

of anything right now, but still,

there's something about seeing

people lined up to buy toilet paper

that makes you think, "My God,

do we have enough toilet paper?"

and that draws you to the chain

of souls stretching from the door,

through the parking lot and up

to the edge of the street, compelling

you to join them, to follow them,

to unravel with them.

IAN WILLEY

TAKAMATSU, KAGAWA PREFECTURE

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.