Japan Society of Fairfield County
Tanka(11)
by Dr. Ikuko Anjo Jassey
破り継ぎ切り継ぎそして重ね継ぎたとえれば継ぎ紙日毎のわれは
ya bu ri tsu gi ki ri tsu gi so shi te ka sa ne
tsu gi ta to e re ba tsu gi ga mi hi go to no
wa re wa
Ripped in different shapes
Cut in different patterns
Patched over in double layers
like a papier-mache
It’s me in everyday life
純白のむくげが咲いて故国が私の肩をたたいたのです
ju n pa ku no mu ku ge ga sa i te hu ru sa to
ga wa ta shi no ka ta o ta ta i ta no de su
A rose of Sharon
snow-white
My home country
My shoulder tapped
「夕涼み」「遊水」」「金魚」 菓子折りに包まれ来たる昔の真夏
“yu u su zu mi” “yu u su i” “ki n gyo” ka shi o
ri ni tsu tsu ma re ki ta ru mu ka shi no ma na
tsu
A box of assorted Japanese sweets
Old summers revived
“Cooling Outside”
“Watering”
“Goldfish”
珠音とおぼゆ近江の水郷の水面はじける青き時雨は
ta ma o to to o bo yu o o mi no su i go o
no mi na mo ha ji ke ru a o ki shi gu re wa
Spring rain
beating on
the water way in Omi
Sounds like an abacus
かまきりの雌契りのその後で雄のかしら喰うてしまえり
ka ma ki ri no o mi na chi gi ri no so no a to
de o no ko no ka shi ra ku u te shi ma e ri
A female mantis
a male mantis
right after mating
his head consumed
蝶々がケンケンしながら通り過ぐ なたね あぶらな はなな なのはな
cho o cho o ga ke n ke n shi na ga ra to o ri
su gu na ta ne a bu ra na ha na na na no ha na
A butterfly
passing by
hopping
In the yellow sea of rape flowers
泡盛のグラスの向こうで紅の琉球桜がふふふと笑う
a wa mo ri no gu ra su no mu ko o de ku re na i
no ryu u kyu u za ku ra ga hu hu hu to wa ra u
Pink Ryukyu cherry blossoms
Chuckling
behind a glass of mullet brandy
昨晩のことなどどうでもいいような初雪の朝の柔らかきこと
sa ku ba n no ko to na do do o de mo i i yo o
na yu ki no a shi ta no ya wa ra ka ki ko to
The softness of morning
with the first snow
what transpired last night
who cares
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