New Toyo Shibata Translations

Hey everyone. It’s been a long time since I mentioned Toyo Shibata, the superstar poet from Japan who happens to be 99 years old. I’ve received tons of questions about when her book, “Kujikenaide,” will be translated and brought to the US and Europe and as of yet I have no news on that. However, I’ve been on the lookout for her poems online and found a few to translate. For today, I have three for you.

ぽたぽたと
蛇口から落ちる涙は
止まらない。

どんなに辛く
悲しいことがあっても
いつまで
くよくよしていては
だめ。

思いきり
蛇口を捻って
一気に涙を
流してしまうの。

さあ、新しいカップで
コーヒー飲みましょう。

Dripping
Water from the tap
Doesn’t stop

No matter how hard,
Even if you are sad
No matter what
Brooding over it
Won’t do

With all your heart
Close the tap.
All at once, the tears
Will be shed.

Come now, let’s have some coffee
In a new cup.

Keeping with the theme of warm drinks, another of Shibata’s poems uses tea and cups as a poetic vehicle.

ポットから
注がれる
お湯は
やさしい
言葉のようだ

私の
こころの角砂糖は
カップの中で
気持ちよく
溶けてゆく

The water
Poured out of
A pot
Has a feeling of
Kind words.

My heart’s sugar cubes
Feel good in the cup
And melt away.

I enjoyed both of them, and although my translation is somewhat crude, I hope you understood what Shibata is getting at. Finally, a more personal one.

九十を越えた今
一日一日が
とてもいとおしい

頬をなでる風
友からの電話
訪れてくれる人たち

それぞれが
私に
生きる力を
与えてくれる

Now I’ve passed 90
Each day is
So precious

The wind that brushes my cheek
A phone call from a friend
The people who come to visit

Each of them in their way
Give me
The strength to live.

And that’s all I have for now, but please check up again for more. I’ll continue looking! It might be August by the time I actually cave and buy the book, but in the meantime, there’s always the internet. As always, my translations are rough and are not composed with any basis in poetic theory or knowledge. If you notice something that could be translated or formatted more effectively, please let me know!

REMIX