Kamikaze

Question 1

Her father embarked at sunrise

Answer 1

with a flask of water, a samurai sword

Question 2

enough fuel for a one-way

Answer 2

journey into history

Question 3

but half way there, she thought,

Answer 3

recounting it later to her children,

Question 4

he must have looked far down

Answer 4

at the little fishing boats

strung out like bunting

Question 5

the dark shoals of fishes

Answer 5

flashing silver as their bellies

swivelled towards the sun

Question 6

And though he came back

Answer 6

my mother never spoke again

in his presence,

Question 7

nor did she meet his eyes

Answer 7

and the neighbours too

Question 8

only we children still chattered and laughed

Answer 8

till gradually we too learned

to be silent,

Question 9

And sometimes, she said, he must have wondered

Answer 9

which had been the better way to die.