Japan Society of Fairfield County
Tanka(1)
by Dr. Ikuko Anjo Jassey
亜米利加でうるめ鰯を食べながら自分の根っこ見つめています
A me ri ka de u ru me i wa shi o
ta
be na ga ra
ji bu n no ne kko mi tsu me te i ma su
In America
I'm keeping my eyes on my identity
while eating dried sardines
かたくりのうつむき加減のゆかしさを遠の昔に忘れてしまった
Ka ta ku ri no u tsu mu ki ka ge n no
yu ka shi
sa wo
too no mu ka shi ni wa su re te
shi
ma tta
A trout lily-
slightly dropping its head
That humbleness
I left somewhere a long time ago
言海の潮にただよう片翼の白いかもめは私であるか
Ge n ka i no shi o ni ta da yoo
ka ta yo ku no
shi ro i ka mo me wa wa ta shi de a ru ka
On a tide
of the sea of language
a drifting white seagull
with one wing
--it's me
ひたひたと胸をたたける国恋しさを子守唄にし暮らしおります
Hi ta hi ta to mu ne wo ta ta ke ru
ku ni ko i shi sa wo
ko mo ri u ta ni shi ku ra shi o ri ma su
Listening to a lullaby
longing for my homeland
tapping against heartstrings,
I am living
真夜中にたれかに呼ばるる心地して眼あくれば降りしきる雪
Ma yo na ka ni ta re ka ni yo ba ru
ru ko ko chi shi
te
ma na ko a ku re ba fu ri shi ki ru yu ki
In the midnight
feeling a call from somebody
I opened my eyes slowly-
Snow falling incessantly
風の白 菜の花の黄 空の青 贅沢すぎる寂しいなんて
Ka ze no shi ro na no ha na no ki
so ra no a o
ze i ta ku su gi ru sa bi shi i na n te
White breeze
yellow rape blossoms
and a blue sky
Still lonesome-
What else do you wish for?
辛きことあらば全ては天よりの甘露と思い法蓮華経
Tsu ra ki ko to a ra ba su be te wa
te n yo ri no
ka n ro to o mo i hoo re n ge kyoo
Take all the bitterness and pain
like sweet drops from the heaven;
Chant the Lotus Sutra
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