Posts filed under ‘Misuzu Kaneko’
Wonder
I wonder why
the rain that falls from black clouds
shines like silver.I wonder why
the silkworm that eats green mulberry leaves
is so white.I wonder why
the moonflower that no one tends
blooms on its own.I wonder why
everyone I ask
about these things
laughs and says, “That’s just how it is.”
Day and Night
After day comes night,
after night comes day.From where can I see
this long, long rope,
its one end, and the other.
Rainbows on Eyelashes
by Misuzu Kaneko
I wipe and wipe
Yet they keep flowing,
Within my tears
A thought arises.-I must be
An adopted child-While I look and look
At the beautiful rainbows,
On the tips of my eyelashes
A thought arises.-I wonder what
Today’s teatime snack will be-
A cloud
by Misuzu Kaneko
I want to be a cloud.
Fluffy, fluffy
From the far end of the blue sky
trying out everything.
In the night, I’ll play tag with Mrs Moon.If I get bored even with that,
I will change into the rain.
Along with Mr Thunder,
I’ll jump and fall into the pond in your house.
Are You an Echo?
The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko
Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko introduces the poetry of renowned Japanese children’s poet Misuzu Kaneko. A children’s picture book, it interweaves Misuzu’s moving life story with twenty-five new translations of her poetry alongside fifteen of the Japanese originals. Every page is filled with color illustrations by Japanese artist Toshikado Hajiri.
If I say, “ Let’s play?”
you say, “Let’s play!”
If I say “Stupid!”
you say “Stupid!”
If I say, “I don’t want to play anymore,”
you say, “I don’t want to play anymore.”
And then, after a while,
becoming lonely
I say, “Sorry.”
You say, “Sorry.”
Are you just an echo?
No, you are everyone.
A Bell, A Bird, and Me
Happy Birthday, Misuzu Kaneko!
No matter how I spread my arms
I can not fly at all,
But unlike me, a flying bird
Can not run fast on ground.Though I rock my body back and forth
It makes no pretty sounds,
Yet unlike me, a ringing bell
Does not know many songs.A bell, a bird, and also me,
All are different, all are good.
