Amiko's translations

Amiko is a very precious and unique friend. We often have lunch and talk in French about Japan, traditional Japanese culture and other things. She doesn't only speak perfect French but she is also a very keen scholar of Japanese literature, a literature teacher, a poetess and a real master of the brush. She presented the following translations out of the blue, a bit like a gift from Santa. She kindly accepted to have them published here. Thank you so much Amiko san. These are very skilled translations of very cheap poems. Much love!

Rainy morning

mushrooms walking on

the bridge.

Matin de pluie

des champignons marchent

sur le pont.

雨の朝　

傘の花咲く　

橋の上。

Ame no asa

kasa no hana saku

hashi no ue.

With love

the barber

carves my ear.

Avec amour

le barbier sculpte

mon oreille.

やさしき床屋の　

かみそりが 　

わたしの耳を　

描き出す。

Yasasiki tokoya no

kamisori ga

watashi no mimi wo

egakidasu.

Maze of wires

and shabby houses ,

our kingdom

Labyrinthe de fils electriques

et de maisons miteuses,

notre royaume.

電線の空　

下町の　

中をさまよい　

行き暮れる。

Densen no sora

shitamatsi no

naka wo samayoi

yukikureru.

ともあれここは　

きみと我の地。

Tomoare koko wa

kimi to ware no tsi.

Cluttered head

Never ending blossoms

This life.

つぼみ咲き Tsubomi saki

めぐる思ひや Meguru omoi ya

この浮き世 Kono ukiyo.

As cherry trees do

A beggar gives himself

To the wind.

風に身をまかす Kaze ni mi wo makasu 　　

桜と物乞いと Sakura to monogoi to.

First cicadals drill

The thick moist air

Sweet lullaby.

初蝉や Hatsusemi ya　　　

重たき雲へ Omotaki kumo e　　　

子守歌 Komori uta.

Summer's gift

These fragile pearls

Of sweat.

暑き日の Atsuki hi no　　　

めぐみの宿る Megumi no yadoru　　　

玉の汗 Tama no ase.

( For the poet Issa. )

Evening moon

More than enough for

warm pillow.

（　一茶に捧ぐ Issa ni sasagu　）

枕持て Makura mote　　　

寝ぬには早し Inu ni wa hayashi　　

夕月夜 Yuzukuyo.

Everyday

Hidden treasure in full view

Dew.

露野満つ Tsuyuno mitsu　

かそけき日々の Kasokeki hibi no　　　

喜びに Yorokobi ni.

Mount Fuji

Dressed up in snow in a window

Of a shinkansen.

新幹線 Shinkansen　　

窓に白富士 Mado ni shirofuji　　

屹立す Kitsuritsu su.

Traduction en japonais , Shimazaki Amiko. 日本語訳 島崎　安見子　 Decembre 2009. ２００９年１２月。

For Issa

For the poet Issa

This evening moon

More than enough for

warm pillow

a few more haiku

Yamaoka Tesshu , private collection

Cluttered head

Never ending blossoms

this life

And old grandpa

lovingliy blows into

a litle girl's eyes

First ciccadas drill

The thick moist air

Sweet lullaby

as cherry trees do

a beggar gives himself

to the wind

Summer's gift

These fragile pearls

of sweat

Everyday

Hidden treasure in full view

dew

Mount Fuji

dressed up in snow in a window

of a shinkansen