MEMORIES OF A WOMAN

日の暮れて人の絶えたる花野ゆく吾と吾子らの声のみひびく

towards the evening

going through a field of flowers

people have disappeared

just the sound of my voice

and my two little boys

さそり、琴、鷲、白鳥と星空を自在に描ける古人羨しき

a scorpion, a harp

an eagle and a swan

in the starry sky

the ancients drew at will

I envy their imagination

雪残る白き芝生に夜は更けて仰げばドイツのまろき月あり

late at night

snow-capped lawn is white

looking up into the sky

a full moon is white

in the German sky

遥かなる日本思ひてわが弾ける琴の音色に心和みぬ

thinking of far Japan

I play my Koto-harp

its traditional tone

makes me calm

soothing and gentle

種子絮の飛び交ふ春の森にゐて吾子らは小川に紙船浮かす

in the spring woods

the dandelion's seeds are flying

my boys float

white paper-ships

on the small stream

運河には各国の船往き交ふを吾子らは旗に国をあてゆく

various ships

ply the River Elbe

my boys are guessing

their countries'names

from the ships' flags

辛きこと多き春の日沈丁花仄かに香り暫し救はる

on a spring day

there are painful feelings

a lovely winter daphne

is faintly fragrant

I'm calm for a while

新年の陽の満つる海輝きて吾を母とす子等を思ひぬ

the sea glistens

under the ample sunshine

of the New Year

thinking of the boys

whose mother I am

梔子のひと花を切り壺にさすただそれのみに憎しみ薄る

I cut a flower

from a Cape Jasmine

putting it into a vase

just doing that

my hatred cools

朝陽さす多摩の川原の砂しめり鳥の足跡くねりてつづく

the morning sun reflects

on the Tama River-bed

the sand is still wet

retaining the winding

footprints of a bird

俊寛の涙ぬぐふ手絶望の心となるを篝火照らす

Shunkan's hand

wiping away his tears

becomes a symbol

of a desperate heart

revealed by the bonfire light

うつつなき心に独り籠りゐて如月の陽にわが手をさらす

confined in my room

I'm lost in my thoughts

alone, vaguely

I expose my hands

to the February sun

血の雫思はするごと鮮らけきフラメンコなりなべて画面は

all the scenes

of the film “Carmen”

are a vivid flamenco

imagery of a drop

of bright red-blood

ブラウスにアイロンかけつつ饒舌になりゆく吾の充たされし午後

pressing my blouse

I am becoming genial

little by little

talking with my children

I feel satisfied this afternoon

丘陵の木々はかそけく音たてて林に風の遊びゐるにや

on the hill

I hear a faint sound

in the woods

is it the wind playing

among the trees?

春の夜のいぶせき思ひ振りきれず髪をすきたり心ゆくまで

a dreary feeling

in a spring night

it's hard to shake off

I comb my long hair

until my heart's content

多聞院の玄関固く閉ざされて蜘蛛の巣ひとつ光れるが見ゆ

the front door

of the Tamon-in Temple

is closed firmly

I find the silky thread

of a cobweb

厚塗りのルオーの画布は光りゐてわが寂しさを包みゆきたり

a thickly painted

canvas of Rouault

glimmers faintly

it softens and comforts

my deep loneliness

公園の桜仰ぎぬ独りなる吾が顔に手に花の散りくる

looking up into

the cherry blossoms in the park

flowers fall on

my face and hands

I'm just alone

山寺の乾ける空気心地よし一人なること心豊けく

in the temple

at the mountain

the air is dry

it's comfortable

being alone

篝火のふたつが赤く燃え盛る円乗院に里言葉充つ

two red bonfires

are blazing powerfully

in the garden

of the Enjouin Temple

it's ull of village accents

雨の夜を独りの部屋に若からぬ吾を哀しみタンゴを聴きぬ

on a rainy night

in my room alone

feeling sorrow

for my fading youth

I listen to the tango

哀しみを遠ざけむとして皿洗ふ風強き春水音高し

keeping at bay

my sorrow and bitterness

I wash the dishes

the water splashing loudly

the spring wind blows strongly

雨の日に髪を切りたり報はれぬ空しき生き方断ち切るべしと

on a rainy day

I have my hair cut

to cut off the days

of living in vain

my unappreciated days

早朝の光悦寺には鶯の細き声してのちの寂寞

early morning

at the Kouetsuji Temple

a Japanese nightingale

sings gracefully

later,there is a lonely silence

A WOMANS LIFE

おぼろげに酔ふ心地なり覚めてなほ夢の人との語らひ思ふ

a faint feeling

of intoxication,

still remember

talking with a man

in my dream

髪型の似合はぬままに町をゆく不安はいつか切なさとなる

my ill-fitting hairstyle

puts me in a bad mood─

walking to town

I feel a sadness

stealing over me

連翹の黄色に蝶のとまりゐて春のひととき幼子黙す

a butterfly alights

on a yellow forsythia,

my small child

silent

for a while

梅の実の青きに幼は手をのばしわが腕のなか身をよぢりたり

my little boy,

twisting his body

in my arms,

stretches out his hand

for a greengage

敷石に跣足の音の響かふを確かめゐるや幼はね跳ぶ

does he hear

the sound of

his bare feet

as he jumps

on the stone slab?

日の暮れに子の帰りきぬ耳朶の冷たく固く草の香匂ふ

my boy comes home

early in the evening,

his cold earlobes

fragrant with the scent

of grass and herbs

夕暮るるハイデルベルクの古城より町見放くれば鐘の鳴り出づ

at dusk

from this old castle

I look out over

the town of Heidelberg─

an evening bell tolls

マタドールのつひのひと突きその瞬間に大き牡牛は膝折れ倒る

at the instant

of the last thrust

of the matador

the large bull

kneels and falls

松籟のいたく寂しく耳に鳴る五月のひと日平林寺ゆく

the breeze

through pine trees

sounds lonely:

I walk to Heirinji Temple

on a day in May

寂しさを会話となせば黙深く葉月の空に雲流れゆく

when the topic

is loneliness,

silence ensues;

white clouds

cross the August sky

庭いぢる秋夕暮れて冷たかる両手に薔薇の擦り傷赤し

I tidy my garden

this autumn evening,

my cold hands

red with scratches

from the roses

色の濃き秋薔薇満つる庭園に父と並びてカメラに向ふ

deep red autumn roses

at their best in this garden,

I look at the camera,

my elderly father

by my side

この土地の夜は乾きて冷え著く丘の上にみる満月白し

night in this district

how dry and chilly─

the full moon

white

above the hill

単調に鉛いろなる湖の面につぶされゆきぬわが抱負など

surface of the lake

leaden, monotonous:

I feel

my small ambition

fades little by little

わが実家の梅の古木に精霊のあらば尋ねむ生き越し証を

the old ume tree

in my parents' garden

I'll ask it,

if it has a soul,

about my childhood days

不幸なる結婚に克ち才能を活かせしこの絵ローランサン好し

she overcomes

an unlucky marriage

and displays her ability─

this Laurencin painting

is wonderful, I adore it

月琴とふ小さき四弦飾りあり弾く女性想ひその音を想ふ

a small moon-lyre

with four strings

on display,

I imagine its sound,

its female player

日の暮れて一人座席を占むるとき夏の帽子を扱ひかねつ

nightfall

I occupy a seat

alone:

how to hold

my summer hat

わが生命粗末にすまじ父母とわが少年をつなぐ血なれば

I won‘t ignore

my existence, my life─

my blood flows

from my parents

into my small sons

風さやぐ上水辺りをゆく吾は離婚届の用紙秘め持つ

a breezy day

I walk alone

along the river

carrying in secret

my divorce papers

決意して吾が部屋内を整へぬ吾を取り巻く日常変へむと

I decide to

tidy my room

to change

the daily life

surrounding me

山菜の料理を食ぶるも無言にて新聞を読むこの夫見つむ

at the meal

my husband reads

a newspaper in silence;

eating his vegetables,

he ignores my stare

皿洗ふ単純にゐて気のゆるむゆふべを激し声あげて泣く

relaxing as

I wash the dishes─

my tension escapes

and I burst into tears

in the twilight

冬鴨の池に群れをり如月の陽ざし動かし右へ左へ

ducks in a flock

on this winter pond

move together,

the February sunlight

shimmering in their wake

残雪を握る弓手に音のして固く締りぬわが心処も

my left hand

holds the snow firmly

making a sound:

tight and strong

my inner heart too

苛立ちの泡立つゆふべ術なくて両の手冷たき水にひたしぬ

this evening

irritation foams

in my heart─

at a loss, soak my hands

in cold water

励ましの言の葉よりも花弁の紅に今心癒さる

more than words

of encouragement

the bright red

of these rose petals

soothes me now

安らけき空の青さよ歩みゆくわが心にも春の陽溢る

how blue the sky,

nothing to worry me:

I'm walking,

my mind full of

spring sunshine

書類書く手の止まりたり今日よりは五の字を使ふ年齢の欄

my hand stops

on the document:

from today

I use the number 5

in the space for age

夏物をやうやく整理しこの夏の父の死なべて心にしまふ

in a chest

I store my summer clothes;

in my heart

I store memories

of my late father

渡英して初めて入るパブ暗くシェークスピアの胸像ありぬ

for the first time

since coming to England

I enter a pub─

the dim light reveals

a bust of Shakespeare

ウェールズの海辺に隣りて日浴みする友の乞ひたり日本の歌を

at a Welsh beach

I sunbathe side by side

with a friend

who asks me

for a Japanese song

紅葉なすリミントン・スパの川の辺に佇ちて語りぬ日本の秋を

at the riverside

in Leamington Spa

leaves turn red,

I talk of the beautiful

Japanese autumn

廃墟なる古き修院石壁の厚く残りて氷雨降りつぐ

an old abbey

lies in ruins:

the cold rain falls

on the remains of

this thick stone wall

銀婚を迎ふる友を羨しめばハルエは自在に旅なすと言ふ

I envy my friend

her silver wedding:

but Harue,

she tells me,

you travel at will

白き花咲くと林檎の莟指し来月見頃と庭師言ひたり

white flowers

at their best next month,

a gardener says,

pointing to the buds

of an apple tree

存在の淡あは優し額縁のローランサンの絵の中の女性

her existence

is faint and gentle,

that woman

in a framed picture

by Marie Laurencin

鎮まれるラインベック城巡りゐてドイツに住みし若き日の顕つ

I walk round

placid Reinbek Castle

remembering the days

as a young mother

in West Germany

戦争の悲しさ聴きぬ女ゆゑ母ゆゑ祖母ゆゑそれを理解す

I have heard

the sad wail of war

as a woman,

mother, grandmother─

I feel its grief

結婚も離婚もなべて諾はむ五十路をすぎて人生深し

a married life

a divorced life

both I accept─

for a woman over fifty

life is more profound

WHITE PETALS

多福寺の黒き山門閉まりゐて軽くたたけば木の音鈍し

closed

is Tafukuji Temple's

black gateー

I lightly knock,

a hollow wooden sound

池の面に花弁白く漂へり掬ひてもみむ遥かなる日々

petals

drifting white

on the pond

I want to scoop up

my long-passed days

ほろほろと桜散りくる土手沿ひを自転車にゆく二人児乗せて

cherry blossoms

fluttering down

to the bankー

I go by bicycle

with my two boys

水底を深く光の蠢めける不安抱きて生きるこの春

sunshine

in the pond's depth

squirms deeply,

I live this spring

feeling uneasy

ひたすらに梅実採りゐつ　静寂なすわたしの宇宙に黒き蝶とぶ

I'm absorbed

in picking ume-fruit─

find a black butterfly

floating tenderly

in my silent space

ゆゑのなき空虚しさまとひ万緑の公園にをりいづくへゆかむ

having

an obscure, empty

feeling

in the green park,

where should I go?

わが裡の水壺に光る秘色いろ濃く染まりゆく寂しさにゐる

a water pot

in my mind─

shines indigo,

my solitude

in the deep blue

湖の辺に黒き貝殻落ちありて拾ひてもみむ一人の旅は

finding

by the lakeside

a black shell,

I pick it up─

a lone traveller

灰色の海に激しく雨降りぬたまゆら晴れよ悲しみ消さむ

heavy the rain

on the gray sea─

awhile, clear it away!

I will drive

my sorrows away

六月の暑き日風の湿りゐて不忍池に鴨の動かず

a hot day,

moist wind in June

over Shinobazu Pond,

the wild ducks

stationary

伝ふべき一人はをらずいただきし花束かかへ帰り来たりぬ

not here, one person

to share this moment─

I return alone

from the celebration,

a lovely bouquet in my arm

恋しかる思ひ出多し鏡台に女いちにん髪を梳きゐる

filled with

lovely memories─

a woman

combing her hair

before the mirror

気力なき夏の日籠りラメ入りのマニキュア塗りぬ弓手ひろげて

in my room

on this languid

summer day

I extend my left hand

to paint my nails silver

真夜に覚め寝つかれずをり秋冷の静寂にしまし虫の音を聞く

at midnight,

waking in silence

of autumn chill─

for a moment

I hear a cricket

平らなるカナダの大地夕焼けて太古のままに今し日の落つ

the flat earth

of vast Canada,

a deep red sun

sinking just now

as in ancient times

捥ぎとりし柿を送らむ手紙添へ柿の葉も添へ箱に詰めゆく

I'm packing

picked persimmons

with

red leaves

and letters

暮れの町心もしのに行く吾の髪かきあぐる手袋赤し

end of the year

walking through town

feeling listless−

I caress my hair

with my red gloves

幻かいぶせき夢か恋ふ心地しましあぢはふ春のあけぼの

an illusion or

anxious dream?

I feel a while

a mood of love

in this spring dawn

燦燦と日比谷公園春満てり妻なりし日も遥けくなりぬ

brilliant spring

bright, dazzling

at Hibiya park

how far the day

I was a wife

独り身のままに生きこし幾年や　庭に黙して蕗とりゆきぬ

how many years

have I lived singly?

I gather

the butterburs silently

in my garden

足早に玉川上水ゆく吾の独りの自在尊しとせむ

swift walk along

the Tamagawa riverside−

ah, this unrestrained

single's simple life

should be precious

運命を水の壺にて受けとめむ時は過ぎゆき思ひ出多し

I'll accept my fate

by filling a water pot

in my mind−

time is rapid,

memories manifold

はつかなる初雁が音を聞きし日の寒きドイツよ吾子ら幼き

for a while

I heard the geese calling

in West Germany,

so cold that day,

so lovely my children

カレッジで日本語教へし日々杳く英国いつしか思ひ出のなか

how long ago

I taught Japanese

at a college−

England fills

my memories now

桜すぎし雨の公園人けなく樹木わらわら緑勢ふ

the calm park,

cherry blossoms gone−

in the rain

the trees full of leaves

so vigorous, so green

父逝きしあの夏のごと赫々と百日紅咲く庭の寂けさ

as in that summer

my father left this world,

the red crepe-myrtle

in full bloom−

how silent our garden

蛇の骸ありたり山道になほ鮮やぎて黄と黒の色

a dead snake

on the mountain path−

still vivid

its colour

yellow and black

短歌のこと映画のことなど語りゐて約まりはわが生き方となる

I talk

about tanka

and cinema,

in the end

about my way of life

歩を止むる勝鬨橋に風荒び冬の川面を白く翔けゆく

I pause

on Kachidoki Bridge,

a rough wind

over the winter river

whitens its surface

教会にバッハのコーラス聴きてをり最後の夜を友と頒かちて

we listen

to a Bach chorale

at the church,

sharing

this last night

捨てがたき存念ひとつ春日なか七井の池にふきあげの散る

an intention

hard to abandon−

this day in spring

the fountain sparkles

in Nanai Pond

定まらぬ心の揺れを包むごと淡あはと咲く老い桜かな

as if to cover

the flickering beat

of my fickle heart,

an old cherry tree

in faint bloom

仰ぎみる五月の空に英国の島の形に雲白くゆく

I look up

at this May sky−

white clouds moving,

shaped

like Britannia

冷え冷えと緑の映ゆる公園はけふのわたしの手紙の余白

the park

looks attractive-green

yet chilly−

it is the space

of today's letter

いま一度眼を閉ぢてみむおぼろなる夢の断片つながりゆくや

again

I'll close my eyes−

will the fragments

of my faint dream

come together?

大輪の青色もよし真白なる小ぶりもよろしあぢさゐの花

large and blue

small and snow-white,

both flowers

are fine,

my hydrangea

男の孫に深く拡ごる未来あり戦に行けと誰か言ふらむ

a bright future

may unfold for

my baby-grandson,

who dares say

he should go to war?

採りたての筍茹でる厨辺にわが仕合せのにほひ充ちゆく

boiling

fresh bamboo shoots

in my kitchen−

the smell satisfies

my simple, silent life

瓶にさす蔓に若葉の萌えてゐて願ひの叶ふ予感兆せり

this vine in a vase

young leaves sprouting−

now I feel

it's a sign of

my fulfilled desire

春の陽の心の底に届けよと深呼吸して空仰ぎたり

spring sunlight,

oh, please penetrate

deep within me−

taking long breaths,

I look up at the sky

ひと夜さに庭の緑の増したれば心決めたり旅に出でなむ

one night

the garden becomes

much greener−

I decide

to go on a journey

川縁に白鳥あまた浮かびゐてストラトフォードに柳のしだる

gliding together

a flock of swans−

willows veil

the river's margin

at Stratford

雨の降る信濃川の面波打ちて日本海へと黒ぐろ早し

in the rain

the River Shinano

undulating−

how rapid a black mass

runs into the Sea of Japan

いつ知らず白髪幾すぢ混りゐて鏡の中に吾若からず

unawares,

strands of white hair

just revealed

in the mirror−

I'm no longer young

落柚子を厨に置きぬ終日を幽かに匂ひ年齢など忘る

I put

a fallen yuzu-orange

in my kitchen−

all day it smells dimly,

I'll forget my age

わが生命本卦還りと思ふとき祈ぎ事俄かに若やぎきたる

feeling

I'm sixty years old,

the age of rebirth−

I see my wishes

as bright, as flowery

池の辺の弁財天に願ひたる小さきわが事口にはすまじ

near the pond

at Benzaiten*−

what I pray

so small

I will not mention it

若からぬ我が逡巡を断つがごと春の疾風の獣めきたり

my wavering,

I'm no longer young−

as if to cut it off

the spring gale

roaring violently

皿に盛るチェリーは赤し春愁はこの種のごと今し捨つべし

in a dish

cherries are crimson−

the sorrows of spring

should be thrown away

just now, like this stone

庭隅に青き蕾の紫陽花がひいふうみいよ陽を浴みてゐる

blue buds

of hydrangea

in my garden,

one, two, three, four,

all basking in the sun

陽を反し黄葉散りくる公園を幼な駆けゆく仰向きしまま

in the park

falling yellow leaves

reflect the sunlight,

looking up at them

an infant running

ぬばたまの夜に照らさるるアユタヤの遺跡に思ふ人の生き死に

illuminated

the ruins of Ayutthaya

in this pitch-dark night,

I feel now

human life and death

師の訃報老い母に低く告ぐるとき震へる心声に波うつ

my teacher's death,

I tell my old mother

in a low voice−

trembling my heart,

faltering my voice

歌びとの修二は神を持たざりき叫びのごとき祈り持てども

the tanka poet

Shuji had no god−

still, still

he had a prayer

like a cry

ひとつらの雪景色なり玻璃窓に眺める庭のもしや異界か

the whole surface

through this window

a snowscape garden,

is it nirvana?

is it the other world?

青空の下にそよ風薫りたり透明なるは永遠なる生命

under a blue sky

fragrant the soft breeze−

the eternal life

of a deceased person

is transparent

暮れ残る青梅の里に寺の鐘おだしく聞こゆ老杉縫ひて

slow darkening

at Oume Village−

the gentle sounds

of a temple bell

through old cedars

霜月の庭たまゆらのあはれあり若さ遠のく吾が声低し

I feel

compassion for a while

in the November garden,

youth fades away,

how low my voice

岸壁に海鳥あまた休みゐてさねさし相模風の冷たし

a colony

of sea birds resting

on a wall of rocks,

how cold this wind

at Sagami

春雨の静かに降る日この吾の未来に小さき萌を願ふ

a day

spring rain falls calmly,

I hope

a small sign

of my future