Poems
Translated as “Death’s Beard” by Miryam Sas
Translated as “Beard of Death” by Sawako Nakayasu
死の髯
A chef grips the blue sky. Leaving behind the mark of four fingers
——gradually the chicken’s blood flows. Even here the sun is crushed.
The blue-clothed jailer of the sky who comes to visit. Hears the sunlight take off at a run.
Inside a prison they protect dreams longer than life.
To touch the outside world that is like the underside of a piece of embroidery, they become a single moth and collide with the window.
If the long tendril-beard of death holds off from binding us for even one more day, we leap up with the miracle.
Death strips off my husk.
A chef clutches the blue sky. Four fingerprints are left,
— gradually a chicken bleeds. Even here the sun is crushed.
Blue-suited wardens of the sky who come inquiring.
I hear daylight run by.
In prison they keep watch over a dream longer than life.
Trying to reach the outside world that is like the back of an embroidery, I become a moth
that slams into the window.
If for a single day the long tendril of death would loosen its hold, this miracle would
make us jump with joy.
Death strips my shell.
料理人が青空を握る。四本の指跡がついて、
――次第に鶏が血をながす。ここでも太陽はつぶれてゐる。
たづねてくる青服の空の看守。
日光が駆け脚でゆくのを聞く。
彼らは生命よりながい夢を牢獄の中で守つてゐる。
刺繍の裏のやうな外の世界に触れるために一匹の蛾となつて窓に突きあたる。