Poetry at Sangam

SangamHouse

 










HAIKU by Shizuko Suzuki, translated by Mariko Nagai

(Translated from the Japanese by Mariko Nagai.)

 
 
 

乳房もつ犬に蹴られ蹤けられ夕焼雲 [1]

The twilight clouds
I was kicked and followed
by a bitch with teats

 
 
 

わが喰うべき土用鰻（うなぎ）を殺さしむ [2]

I knife and kill
an eel I am meant to eat
for this dog day lunch

 
 
 

眉引くやことしの春は雨多く [3]

Painting my eyebrows
there’s too much, there’s too much rain
this spring season

 
 
 

蟻の体にジュッと当てたる煙草の火 [4]

I press the lighted
cigarette against an ant
and watch it burn

 
 
 

ひらく寒木瓜浮気な自分におどろく [5]

Flowers of Japanese
quince open and I’m surprised
by my flighty heart

 
 
 

売春や鶏卵にある拳（こぶし）の温かみ [6]

Warmth of the egg in
my hand, warmed by the egg
I sell myself

 
 
 

腋毛濃しさんさんと湧く雲間の陽 [7]

Bushy arm pits
Sunlight brilliant
amidst the scattering clouds

 
 
 

ダンサーも娼婦のうちか雪解の葉 [8]

Leaves and melting snow
I wonder if dancers are
whores selling themselves.

 
 
 

朝鮮へ書く梅雨の降り激ぎちけり [9]

I write a letter
to Korea as rain falls
hard this wet season

 
 
 

雪粉粉麻薬に狂う漢（おとこ）の眼 [10]

powder snow powder
drug I see the eyes of a man
addicted to drugs

 
 
 

一瞬や麻薬に犯れし眼と認（みとめ）む [11]

Only for a flash
but I saw the eyes ravaged
consumed by drugs

 
 
 

さよならケリーそして近づく降誕際 [12]

Good-bye to Carey
then Christmas will be here
soon enough too soon

 
 
 

傲然と雪堕るケリーとなら死ねる [13]

Snow falls indifferently
I now know can die with
Carey and for him

 
 
 

霧五千海里ケリークラッケへだたり死す [14]

Five thousand sea miles
and fog and death between
Carey Clark and I

 
 
 

急死なりと母なるひとの書乾く [15]

A letter from his mother
says that he died suddenly
the ink is already dry

Notes

[1] First published in October 1951 issue of Jukai, December 1951 issue of Gendai Haiku, November 1951 issue of Haiku Ourai,and The Ring (1952), and dated August 24, 1951「樹海」昭26年10月号&現代俳句昭26年12月号&俳句往来昭26年11月号&『指輪』&大量句昭26年8月24日

[2] First published in September 1958 issue of Jukai「樹海」昭33年9月号

[3] First published in July 1947 issue of Jukai, and November 1952 issue of Haikuen「樹海」昭27年7月号&「俳句苑」昭27年11月号

[4] First published in August 1951 issue of Jukai, November 1951 issue of Haiku Ourai, January 1952 issue of Haiku Shincho, included in The Ring (1952)and dated June 8, 1951「樹海」昭26年8月号&『指輪』&俳句往来昭26年11月号&「俳句新潮」昭27年1月号&大量句26年6月8日

[5] First published in March 1948 issue of Jukai and November 1951 issue of Haiku Ourai「樹海」昭23年3月号&「俳句往来」昭26年11月号

[6] First published in April 1950 issue of Haiku Kenkyu「俳句研究」昭25年4月号

[7] First published in the September 3, 1952 Evening Edition of Yomiuri Shimbun and November 192 issue of Jukai「読売新聞」夕刊昭27年9月3日&「樹海」昭27年11月号

[8] Unpublished, dated January 23, 1952 大量句27年1月23日　

[9] First published in September 1951 issue of Jukai, December 1951 issue of Gendai Haiku and included in The Ring (1952)「樹海」昭26年9月号＆『指輪』＆現代俳句昭26年12月号

[10] Unpublished dated November 29, 1951大量句26年11月29日

[11] Unpublished dated December 19, 1951大量句26年12月19日

[12] Unpublished dated December 19, 1951大量句26年12月19日

[13] Unpublished dated December 24, 1951大量句26年12月24日

[14] Unpublished dated January 2, 1952大量句27年1月2日

[15] Unpublished dated January 2, 1952大量句27年1月2日