Japan Society of Fairfield County
Tanka(3)
by Dr. Ikuko Anjo Jassey
春の野にいでてせりなど摘みおれば亡母がいつしか傍らにおり
ha ru no no ni i de te se ri na do tsu mi o
re ba ha ha ga i tsu shi ka ka ta wa ra ni o
ri
In the spring field
I gather watercress—
My departed mom is, too
picking it by my side
ばっさりと桃の一枝もろともに切り落とされた母が忍従
ba ssa ri to mo mo no hi to e da mo ro
to mo ni ki ri o to sa re ta ha ha ga ni n
ju u
With a branch of a peach tree
Mom’s subservience
was cut off—with no regret
焼酎あおるあなたが傍に残りしは黒猫一匹と昭和枯れすすき
sa ke a o ru a na ta ga so ba ni no ko ri shi
wa ne ko i ppi ki to sho o wa ka re su
su ki
Next to you gulping sake
your old black cat
your melancholic tune
and your choice
酔いどれの父の目は捨て犬の吾を見つむる据えた目である
yo i do re no chi chi no me wa su te i nu no wa re
o mi tsu mu ru su e ta me de a ru
My drunken dad
stares at me with fixed eyes—
eyes of an unwanted dog
いい気味だ この穀潰し 馬の骨 父よあなたは何に苛立つ
i i ki mi da ko no go ku tsu bu shi u ma no
ho ne chi chi yo a na ta wa na ni ni i ra da tsu
Serve you right!
Useless mouth!
Nobody!
What are you irritated about, Dad?
わが父親はヤクザな父親でありまして左二の腕に鯉の入れ墨あり
wa ga chi chi wa ya ku za na chi chi de a ri
ma shi te hi da ri ni no u de ni ko i no
i re zu mi a ri
My dad is, you see, not a dad like yours
On his upper left arm,
A carp tattooed he had
弱いから強がり見せて生きてきたのです 極道者に唾つけながら
yo wa i ka ra tsu yo ga ri mi se te i ki te
ki ta no de su go ku do o mo no ni tsu ba tsu
ke na ga ra
My dad is weak,
so he has lived bluffing his way
My dad is meek,
so he has lived befriending the yakuzas
ぷっつりと切れるかも知れぬ命の紐を花結びする老いたる父よ
pu ttsu ri to ki re ru ka mo shi re nu i no
chi no hi mo o ha na mu su bi su ru o i ta ru
chi chi yo
Making a knot
with your life string
which may snap itself any time—
My old father
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