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