Tanka Translation 100th tanka uploaded!

In January 2009, I started translating tanka from “Gendai Tanka no Kansho 101” (Apreciation of Modern Tanka 101), an anthology written and edited by Ken Kodaka.  It took longer than I thought, but I am happy to announce that the mission was completed at last!

Since I do not write tanka and some poets use classic Japanese, I found tanka translation more difficult than haiku translation.   From now on (at least for a while), this blog will concentrate on haiku. 

I appreciate your support and encouragement in the past 3 years! 

Fay Aoyagi

November 30, 2011, San Francisco

 

 

Tanka Translation 100: Samio Maekawa

100 Samio Maekawa（前川佐美雄）
ぞろぞろと鳥けだものをひきつれて秋晴の街にあそび行きたし
zorozoro to tori kedamono o hikitsurete akibare no machi ni asobiyukitashi
                    with my entourage
                    of birds and animals
                    I would like to enjoy the city
                    on a day with autumn clear sky

野にかへり野に爬虫類をやしなふはつひに復讐にそなへむがため
no ni kaeri no ni hachûrui o yashinau wa tsui ni fukushû ni sonaen ga tame
                    going back to the fields
                    and raising a reptile 
                    finally I’m ready to prepare
                    for a revenge

夕焼のにじむ白壁に声絶えてほろびうせたるものの爪あと
yûyake no nijimu shirakabe ni koe taete horobi usetaru mono no tsumeato
                    white wall blurred by sunset
                    no more voice
                    but the scars left
                    by the extinct

from “Gendai Tanka No Kansho 101” (Appreciation of Contemporary Tanka 101) edited by Ken Kodaka, Shinshokan, 1999, Tokyo, Japan

Tanka Translation 99: Minoru Shibauta

99 Minoru Shibauta（柴生田　稔）
いたく静かに兵（へい）載せし汽車は過ぎ行けりこの思ひわが何と言はむかも
itaku shizukani hei noseshi kisha wa sugiyukeri kono omoi waga nan to iwankamo
                                               so quietly, a train loaded
                                               with soldiers passed…
                                               how can I describe
                                               this feeling

列につきて行く常識にわれひとり背（そむ）きて済むと思ふにあらず
retsu ni tsukite yuku jôshik ni ware hitori somukite sumu to omou ni arazu
                                               rebelling alone against
                                               the common sense of following a line
                                               I should not think
                                               that will be enough

最終講義と称するものも無くならむ無くなるべきものは幾らでもある
saishûkôgi to shôsuru mono mo nakunaran nakunarubeki mono wa ikurademo aru
                                                   there is still a ceremonial last lecture
                                                   by a tenured professor
                                                   there are many things
                                                   which should be given up

from “Gendai Tanka No Kansho 101” (Appreciation of Contemporary Tanka 101) edited by Ken Kodaka, Shinshokan, 1999, Tokyo, Japan

Tanka Translation 98: Osamu Kimata

98 Osamu Kimata（木俣　修）

車輌ひく馬に沿ひ歩む兵隊が寒夜（さむよ）の舗道（ほだう）に歌ひだしたり　

sharyô hiku uma ni soi ayumu heitai ga samuyo no hodô ni utaidashitari

a soldier walks along

a horse pulling a cart

he starts singing on the pavement

of a cold night

 

行春（ゆくはる）をかなしみあへず若きらは黒き帽子を空に投げあぐ

yuku haru o kanashimiaezu wakakira wa kuroki bôshi o sora ni nageagu

                                failing to share

                                sorrow of a departing spring

                                my young students throw

                                their black caps to the sky

起ちても涛（なみ）かがみても涛どうしやうもなくて見てゐる高志（こし）の冬涛

tachitemo nami kagamitemo nami dôshiyômonakute miteiru koshi no fuyu-nami

                                waves… when I stand up

                                waves… when I bend down

                                with no choice I watch

                                winter waves in Niigata

from “Gendai Tanka No Kansho 101” (Appreciation of Contemporary Tanka 101) edited by Ken Kodaka, Shinshokan, 1999, Tokyo, Japan

Tanka Translation 97: Tekkyu Tsubono

97 Tekkyu Tsubono （坪野哲久）

曼珠沙華のするどき象（かたち）夢にみしうちくだかれて秋ゆきぬべき

manjyushage no surudoki katachi yume ni mishi uchikudakarete aki yukinubeki

                                a sharp form of a spider lily

                                in my dream

                                autumn is crushed

                                and gone

われの一生（ひとよ）に殺（せつ）なく盗（とう）なくありしこと憤怒のごとしこの悔恨は

ware no hitoyo ni setsu naku tõ naku arishi koto funnu no gotoshi kono kaikon wa

no murder, no theft

committed in my life

what is this remorse

 like rage?

                               

 

空きびんの底のくぼみにあごのせてものおもうかも生きて虚しき

akibin no soko no kubomi ni ago nosete mono omoukamo ikite munashiki

                                 resting my chin

                                on a empty bottle’s hollow

                                I think I live

                                but in vain

from “Gendai Tanka No Kansho 101” (Appreciation of Contemporary Tanka 101) edited by Ken Kodaka, Shinshokan, 1999, Tokyo, Japan