水崎野里子(日本・東京)
正岡子規の俳句英訳1
Haiku of Shiki Masaoka (1)
Noriko Mizusaki (Tokyo/Japan)
朝霧の中に九段のともしかな (1886, 明治十八年・秋)
Morning mist
I see in the Kudan* sight
Lamps: the candlelight
*Kudan=the Yasukuni Shrine which is situated in Kudan
散る梅は祇王桜はほとけ哉 (1888, 明治二十年・春)
Falling plum blossoms
Cherryblossoms in Gio* Temple
Oh they as Buddhas* so simple
* Gio was a dancing lady who once loved by Tairano Koyomori, a lord, who lived and patronized performance arts in the twelfth century. Gio was happy as his leading dancer, till one day when her status was replaced by a younger entertain girl. She is known to us in the legends and tales in the name of Lady Buddha: 仏御前, in Japanese. Originally, the previous mistress of Kiyomori, the lady Gio, herself, introduced the girl to his lord, responding to her request. “If I am an entertainer, I shall entertain myself and dare to do the gambling.” said she.
青々と障子にうつる芭蕉哉 (1889, 明治廿一年・秋)
So much blue shadowing
On a shoji-paper screen
Leaves of the banana seen
冬枯の中に家居や村一つ (1890, 明治廿二年・冬)
The wintry desolation
A rural house alone
I walk in a village lone
朝貌に吾れ恙なきあした哉 (1891, 明治廿三年・秋)
Morning glories
Good morning I pray
A morn greeting I say