Area ano shine - Her, that day... (three poems translated in English)

Her, that day... (Area ano shine)

On the way we went collecting buds,
I remember, a turtledove was cooing.
On the swamp we went picking up petasites,
I remember, a cuckoo was singing.

By the river she answered to me for the first time
Wild roses were scenting,
And in the pine woods she listened to me
I remember, a tarin of the Alders was warbling.

Ah, now that all those things are vanishing,
At the dusk in the center of Tokyo with its bustle,
What I understand deep in my heart is
The feeling that made her, that day,
Throw away the petals of dandelion, one by one
One by one, on the way home from the woods.




Lightning over rice field (Nashirono inapikari)

Frogs croak, and there are flashes of lightning over rice field but
She hasn't come out yet.
Rain begins to fall finally, and I'm getting wet to the skin but
I don't want to move from here for ever.

The rain's getting harder bit by bit, so
The frogs have stopped croaking and
It seems late now, so
The lights in her house have been turned off.




Life (Kurashi) – Wedding night

That's only wind blowing,
It's the poplar trees that make noise.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
Have you ever seen brides crying?
Do you cry because we have not a penny?
Why do we have to celebrate such a miserable marriage?

(Regard all this as the ceremony.)

Even if we press our thin bodies one another,
It doesn't make any heat.
Ah! we two
Are like the flies that steal sunlight.
From tomorrow, will you go to the office in purple skirt and black cape, you too?
Miserable bride and bridegroom.
Don't cry.
Don't cry.
There's nothing to be scared of.
That's only wind blowing,
It's the poplar trees that make noise.