Hello, I can’t remember, goodbye.

“Huh? Who was that again?” Haven’t you ever had that happen—even if you’re not elderly? Someone greets you with a “Hello” on a walk by the roadside or while you’re shopping at the supermarket, but you just can’t place them.

You can almost picture yourself trying to keep the conversation going so they won’t realize you don’t know who they are.

That kind of nervous, flustered state also feels humorously portrayed here.

Why not take a situation like this—one that could happen in everyday life—and turn it into a witty senryu?

What should we do? There are three of them. Mayonnaise.

When you go shopping, it’s easy to end up buying the same things over and over, isn’t it? Shopping-related issues are common among older adults, and if they run out of something, they may buy items that make them feel anxious.

It can be helpful to accompany them on shopping trips or ask staff at their regular stores to keep an eye out and assist.

Turning aspects of older adults’ daily lives—like shopping—into senryu poems might help us approach things with a more easygoing attitude.

It could also lead to conversations like “That happens, doesn’t it?” and help promote communication with older adults.

No names mentioned—using this and that to get things done.

When talking with elderly people, you often hear phrases like “that thing became that other thing.” It seems to be commonly used when the names of objects or actions don’t come to mind easily.

It would be amusing if an elderly person came up with a humorous senryu reflecting on their own actions.

Through senryu, you can share laughter and conversation and spend enjoyable time together.

In conversations between elderly people—who often say “this” and “that”—and their families, there may even be some playful quips.

Scenes like these feel peaceful and convey a sense of family warmth.

Pedometer More than half Looking for something

I think many people make a conscious effort to walk regularly in order to maintain their strength.

And a handy way to see how much you’re walking is a pedometer, right? In this senryu, it seems the person is wearing a pedometer, but the amusing twist is that half of the counted steps were taken while looking for lost items.

As we age, we tend to become forgetful, and some of us find ourselves constantly searching for something.

Still, if searching means moving, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Where are the dentures? In the refrigerator. They’re chilled.

Haven’t you ever found something you were looking for in an unexpected place? You wonder, “Why on earth is it here…?” but it was definitely your past self who put it there.

In this senryu, it seems the person even chilled their dentures in the refrigerator.

It’s a mystery why they took their dentures out there, and why they put them in the fridge, but the final line, “They’re nice and cold,” made me laugh.

Perfectly chilled dentures, like a cold drink… In summer, it might actually feel pleasant and refreshing in your mouth when you put them in.

A tourist spot where I'm more worried about the toilets than the scenery.

You often hear people say they need to use the restroom more frequently.

Tourist spots, in particular, have limited numbers and locations of restrooms, and when it’s crowded, they can be hard to use.

This senryu brings to mind the worries and concerns of older adults, set against vivid scenery.

Of course, what you want to enjoy most when traveling is the beautiful views.

But before that, you end up checking where the restrooms are… It’s a little sad, but it’s really important for your own sake.

Know the locations well, and enjoy sightseeing with peace of mind.

Call to check if the web reservation was made

It’s becoming normal to make reservations and orders online from smartphones and computers.

Some hospitals also allow you to book on the web.

However, until a few years ago, reservations were mainly made by phone.

Many older adults are probably more familiar with phone bookings, aren’t they? Because web reservations aren’t verbally confirmed by a person over the phone, the poem nicely conveys the anxiety of wondering whether the booking really went through.

Some people might think, “You don’t need to call to confirm,” but it seems there are still older people who feel uneasy about it.