Dear Family,
Here is the next installment of poems from the Japanese team.
After this, there are two more to go!
Shaolin salute - with love and respect,
Emiko
-----
Submission #12
Name: Mieko Yoshimitsu
Country: Japan
自由自在
生死生死を繰り返し
少しばかりの修行をし
ほんの小さな悟りを得て
人にもほんの少しの利益を
もたらすことがあったとしても
その喜びは束の間
日とともに形を変えていく
人に謗られれば 気分を害し
辛いことがあれば 挫けそうになり
思うようにいかなければ 落ちこみ
人に褒められれば 有頂天になる
なんと不確かな心のありよう
それでも....
鮮やかに咲きほこる 花や木々の色たち
ほとばしるように歌う 鳥や虫たちの声
見るもの全てが 命にせまってくるきらめき
聞くもの全てが 命の鼓動に連なる
一瞬たりともとどまることなく
自由自在に形を変えながら
全ての悲しみや苦しみを内包して
あるがままに光を放つ
その尊さに出会えた時
神になる必要のない
人間以上でも人間以下でもない自分
怒ったり 喜んだり 悲しんだり 苦しんだり
愚かで こっけいで 気高い
なんと愛おしい
自分も 人も 全ての人も
With Perfect Freedom
Repeating the cycle of birth-death
Cultivating - but always only a little
Receiving the tiniest moments of illumination
Even to others giving only the smallest of benefit
That happiness is fleeting
Together with time, they change their shape
When slandered by other people, one’s feelings become hurt
When painful things happen, one loses strength and becomes discouraged
When things don’t go according to plan, one becomes depressed
When praised by others, one becomes high with ecstasy
How unreliable the state of one’s mind
Even so…
The colours of flowers and trees in full bloom are so vivid
The birds that sing and insects cry with such bursting gusto
Everything I see glitters and sparkles with compelling life
Everything I hear is connected to the beating pulse of life
Without lingering even for an instant
Changing shape with fluid, unhesitating, perfect freedom
Accommodating all of the sadness and suffering
Things remaining in the truth of what they are, light is liberated
When I came to the precious realization:
No need to become a god
I am neither better nor worse than any other person
At times angry, at times happy, at times sad, at times in pain,
Foolish, funny, noble-minded,
How endearing
Am I… are others… all people.
-----
Submission #13
Name: Mieko Yoshimitsu
Country: Japan
波紋
子供が
小さな石を
池に投げた
水しぶきがきらめき
波紋が広がっていく
波をよける鯉
楽しげに飛ぶ蛙
波の流れに揺れる水草
その水草に落ちまいと
しがみつく小さな魚
鳥はチラッと波を見て
風に乗って
飛び立っていった
子供はただ美しい波模様に見とれていた
波がおさまり
何事もなかったように
水辺に静けさが戻ってきた
子供はもう一度
違う石を投げた
また波紋が広がっていく
波に乗る鯉
石を避け潜っていく蛙
揺れる水草に
投げ飛ばされた小さな魚
鳥はまばたきをして
飛んで去っていった
子供は波を見ていたが
ゆうゆうと泳ぐ亀に目を留め
亀の動きをじっと見ていた
また水辺に静けさが戻ってきた
眉をあげて泳いでいる鯉
辺りを見渡すように葉の上にいる蛙
落ち着きなく動き回る小さな魚
投げられた二つの石たちは
今までにない経験に興奮していた
初めて空を飛び
水の中に飛び込んだ
周りの生き物たちの反応を見て
喜んでいた
池はそんな様子を
ずっと微笑んで見ていた。
生き物が動くことで
淀むことなく
水は流れる
綺麗な自分に満足して
そこにいる生き物たちを抱擁していた
子供はもう飽きてしまって
三度目は石を投げなかった
もっと面白い遊びを探そうと
水辺からスキップして
去っていった
Note: This poem, entitled, “Hamon” (Ripple), is the response to the previous poem, entitled, “Jiyuujizai” (With Perfect Freedom). It is the Answer Song to “Jiyuujizai”, written by the author to her beloved elder sister.
Ripple
A child threw a pebble into a pond
A sheet of spray glimmers, a ring of water begins to ripple and spread out
The carp that avoids the wave
The frog that happily hops about
The waterweeds that sway in the flow of the wave
The tiny fish that refuse to fall into the waterweeds by hanging on
The birds only glanced at the wave
Rose up into the wind
And flew away
The child was completely fascinated by the pattern of the wave
The wave subsides
As if nothing had happened
Tranquillity returned to the water’s edge
The child throws a different pebble again
Once more, a wave begins to ripple and spread out
The carp that rides the wave
The frog that avoids the pebble by diving in
The tiny fish that are thrown about by the waterweeds
The bird blinks
Then flies away
The child was looking at the wave
And is caught by the sight of a turtle swimming leisurely
He gazed fixedly at the turtle’s movements
Once again tranquillity returns to the water’s edge
The carp that swims with its eyebrows raised
The frog who is on top of the leaves as if looking out over the side of the pond
Small fish that move about agitatedly
The two pebbles that had been thrown were excited about the new experiences
Of flying into the sky and then diving into the water for the first time
They noticed the reactions of the surrounding creatures and were delighted
The pond smiled benevolently, observing the state of affairs
When there is life, water flows on without stagnation
Being satisfied with its pure state, it embraced the living creatures that were there
The child had already lost interest and did not throw a third pebble
Looking for something more fun, he skipped away from the water’s edge.
-----
Submission #14
Name: Naoko Yamada
Country: Japan
こわれる
体が 傾き 真直ぐに 立って いられない。
口が しびれ しゃべれない。
手が 固まり 動かない。
目は 見えている、
耳も 聞こえてる、
頭が どうしたんだろう と ??? マーク
穏やかに ツボ が 開けられ、
流れ 始める。
立つことが でき、少しずつ しゃべれる、
固まりが とけて、 心も とけて いく。
ベットに 横になると どこからか ララバイ が 聞こえる。
壊れなくて よかった。
いつまでも ララバイ が 心に 響く。
今も なお !
Falling Apart
The body tilts to one side, unable to stand up straight.
The mouth, numb, unable to talk.
Hands frozen, unable to move.
The eyes can see,
The ears can hear,
What has happened to the head???
Calmly, the acupuncture points are opened,
I begin to flow.
Becoming able to stand, little by little becoming able to speak,
The frozenness melts, the heart melts in relief too.
When lying down in bed, from somewhere there comes the sound of a lullaby.
So glad to not fall apart.
The lullaby keeps playing on in my heart.
Even now, it is so!
-----
Submission #15
Name: Naoko Yamada
Country: Japan
子どもだった頃に
川の流れに 懐かしく 思うのは なぜ?
川の魚たちと静かな時間を 過ごせるのは なぜ?
川底の石たちの ゴツゴツが 楽しさを 増す。
子どもだった頃の 心に 変われる 川で
私は 泳ぐ
懐かしさと 自由の中で 泳ぐ
懐かしさと 自由の中を
私は 泳ぐ
When I was a Child
Why is it that flowing rivers make me feel nostalgia?
Why is that one can spend quiet time with the river-fish?
Rough stones at the riverbed increase the fun.
In the river that enables me to return to the spirit of when I was a child,
I swim.
In nostalgia and freedom, swimming
Inside the nostalgia and freedom
I swim.
-----
Submission #16
Name: Naoko Yamada
Country: Japan
そまる
真っ赤な ケイトウの花を 見ていると
目が 赤色に そまる。
生き生きとした 木立ちの葉を 見ていると
目が 緑に そまる
透きとおる 青空を 見上げると
目が 真っ青に そまる
あの方の ことを 思うと
目から 涙が こぼれる
Dyed
Gazing at the bright red cockscomb flowers,
My eyes are dyed red.
Gazing at the leaves of the vibrant grove of trees,
My eyes are dyed green.
Gazing up at the transparent blue sky,
My eyes are dyed deep blue.
Thinking of that person,
tears fall from my eyes.
-----
Submission #17
Name: Miyuki Kuroda
Country: Japan
父の手
今では、しわしわの父の手。
幼い時は、世界で一番大きな手だと思ってた。
その手でギュッと握られると安心した。
眠れない夜、抱っこして背中を優しくたたいてくれた。
生まれたばかりの父の手は、ぷっくりしていただろう。
青春時代は、辛い日々を経験しただろう。
母とであった時、私と弟が生まれた時は幸せだっただろう。
一生懸命、家族や社会のために働いた父の手。
今は、その手を私が握る。
嬉しいいような、寂しいいような 。
しわしわの父の手.
Father’s Hands
Now, Father’s hands are wrinkled.
When I was a child, I thought they were the biggest hands in the world.
When those hands would squeeze mine, I would be reassured.
When I couldn’t sleep at night, those hands would hold me and gently pat me on the back.
Probably when Father was just born, his hands must have been plump and round.
During his youth, he must have experienced hardship.
When he met Mother, when I was born and my little brother was born, he must have been happy.
Hands that worked so hard for his family and society, Father’s.
Now, I am the one who squeezes his hands.
Not quite sad, not quite happy.
My Father’s wrinkled hands.
-----
Submission #18
Name: Yuuki Sagawa
Country: Japan
私の家
長い間住み慣れた家に住んでいた。
長きに渡る夫の試験が終わって突然家を買うことになった。
毎週不動産屋の車で物件を見て歩いた。
窓がない家、狭い家、ガード下の家、ゴミ屋敷の隣・・・。
最近家を買った人によると家に出会うとピピッとくるものがあるそうだ。
小さくて便利な家が見つかり、申し込みをして契約をすることになった。
契約前日ネットを見ていたらその土地が事故物件であることがわかった。
予算をしきりなおして探したら適当な物件が見つかった。
いざ契約をしようとしたら仲介手数料が高くて支払えないことに気が付いた。
案内してくれた不動産屋を断って仲介手数料無料のエージェントに申し込んだ。
不動産屋が値引きをしたのでやはりこの不動産屋を通じて契約をすることにした。
銀行にローンの審査を依頼したが審査が通らなかった。
銀行に通い申請書を書き直しして何度か提出したら期限当日に審査が通った。
引っ越すことになったら階段が狭いため二階のリビングに冷蔵庫が上がらないことがわかった。
冷蔵庫を上げてくれる引っ越し屋さんを探して引っ越しをした。
新しい家は三階建ての窓が22ある白い家。
三階の寝室で目を覚ますと二階で朝食をとり一階で歯を磨いて三階に上がって着替えをする。
出かける前に玄関で忘れ物に気がついても三階まで取りに行きます。
イタリアのアマルフィに住んで坂を上り下りしているお年寄りのように足腰を鍛えることができる 。
かかわってくれたすべての人々のお陰で今この家の布団の中で寝ている。
夕方、どの家の窓にも明かりがともっている。
すべての人にそれぞれのドラマがあってそこに暮らしている。
引っ越し荷物から一枚の紙が見つかった。
それは家を探し始めたときにSifuからのアドバイスで書いた「住みたい家のリスト」だった。
今そのリストにある「明るい家」に住んでいた。
My House
For a long time, I lived in a house that was dear to me.
After a long period, when my husband’s exams were finally over, suddenly it was time to buy a house.
Every week, in the realtor’s car, we went and saw properties
Houses without windows, houses that were too small, houses under the railway tracks or next to trash houses…
According to someone who recently bought a house, when one encounters a house, some kind of stroke of fate can come one’s way
After finding a small and convenient house, the application was accepted and the contract was about to be signed,
The day before the contract was to be signed, while surfing on the internet, it was discovered that the plot of land was declared to be a ‘bad piece of property’.
Having re-organized the budget and started hunting again, a piece of property casually emerged.
It became clear that at the time of signing the contract, it would not be possible to pay the agent’s high commission.
We had to decline the realtor who introduced us to the property, and then we applied for an agent who did not charge intermediary commission.
Because this agent gave a discount, we decided to arrange the contract with him.
We approached a bank to ask for a loan review, but were declined.
We re-filled out the application form for the bank, and after submitting it a few times, managed to make it in time and get accepted before the deadline.
When it came time to move, because the stairs were so narrow, we realized that the refrigerator would not be able to be carried up to the second floor.
We found a mover that could lift the refrigerator up to the second floor from the outside, and moved.
The new house is a three-storey, white house with 22 windows.
One wakes up in the bedroom on the third floor, eats breakfast on the second floor, brushes the teeth on the first floor, and goes back up to the third floor to change clothes.
On the way out, in the foyer, if one realizes that one has forgotten something up on the third floor, one just has to go up and get it. Like the elderly living in the sloping hills of Amalfi, Italy, one can train and condition the backs and legs.
Thanks to all the people who advised us, we are able to sleep in the futons of this house. In the evenings, the windows of all the houses are lit up. Each person living there has his/her own story.
Out of all the moving boxes, I found a sheet of paper. On it, as per the advice from Sifu when we first began to hunt for a house, was written, ‘Criteria for the Place Where We would like to Live’.
Now, on that list where it says, ‘a cheerful house,’ that is where we live.
-----
Submission #19
Name: Kyoko Hoshino
Country: Japan
… 3秒、 2秒、 1秒
そして
少年は旅に出る
永遠の虹を探しに
みんな
笑うけど
彼は知っている
知らない世界の始まりは
いつも こうだと…
深い呼吸の中で
何度も迷子になる
コトバの海で
おぼれかけそうになったり
希望といく粒かの涙がともだち
やっと会えた
と
思った、虹を掴む
と
その時
指先からこぼれ落ちる砂
それでも
少年は旅を続ける
"ここ"ではない何処かを目指して
ある日
辿り着く湖のほとり
青く澄んだ空を映しだす水面(みなも)
深くのぞきこむと
…3秒、2秒、1秒
永遠の虹が彼を包み込んでいた
少年は気付く
旅の始まりから"そこ"にあったことを
その瞬間世界は輝きだす
…3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second
And then
The young boy went on a journey
To look for the never-ending rainbow
Everyone
May laugh but
He knows
That the beginning of the unknown world
Always starts like this…
Within the deep breath
He gets lost numerous times
In the ocean of words
He almost drowns
Hope and grainy tears are his friends
Finally, a meeting,
Or
So he thought, and tried to grasp the rainbow,
when
At that moment
Sand spilled and fell through the fingertips
Even so
The young boy continues on his journey
Aiming for somewhere that is not ‘Here’
One day
He finally arrives at the side of a lake
When peering deeply into the water’s edge that reflects the blue, transparent sky
…3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second
The never-ending rainbow has wrapped him all up
The young boy realizes
Everything that has happened since the beginning of the journey until the point of ‘There’
In that instant, the world starts to shine.
Here is the next installment of poems from the Japanese team.
After this, there are two more to go!
Shaolin salute - with love and respect,
Emiko
-----
Submission #12
Name: Mieko Yoshimitsu
Country: Japan
自由自在
生死生死を繰り返し
少しばかりの修行をし
ほんの小さな悟りを得て
人にもほんの少しの利益を
もたらすことがあったとしても
その喜びは束の間
日とともに形を変えていく
人に謗られれば 気分を害し
辛いことがあれば 挫けそうになり
思うようにいかなければ 落ちこみ
人に褒められれば 有頂天になる
なんと不確かな心のありよう
それでも....
鮮やかに咲きほこる 花や木々の色たち
ほとばしるように歌う 鳥や虫たちの声
見るもの全てが 命にせまってくるきらめき
聞くもの全てが 命の鼓動に連なる
一瞬たりともとどまることなく
自由自在に形を変えながら
全ての悲しみや苦しみを内包して
あるがままに光を放つ
その尊さに出会えた時
神になる必要のない
人間以上でも人間以下でもない自分
怒ったり 喜んだり 悲しんだり 苦しんだり
愚かで こっけいで 気高い
なんと愛おしい
自分も 人も 全ての人も
With Perfect Freedom
Repeating the cycle of birth-death
Cultivating - but always only a little
Receiving the tiniest moments of illumination
Even to others giving only the smallest of benefit
That happiness is fleeting
Together with time, they change their shape
When slandered by other people, one’s feelings become hurt
When painful things happen, one loses strength and becomes discouraged
When things don’t go according to plan, one becomes depressed
When praised by others, one becomes high with ecstasy
How unreliable the state of one’s mind
Even so…
The colours of flowers and trees in full bloom are so vivid
The birds that sing and insects cry with such bursting gusto
Everything I see glitters and sparkles with compelling life
Everything I hear is connected to the beating pulse of life
Without lingering even for an instant
Changing shape with fluid, unhesitating, perfect freedom
Accommodating all of the sadness and suffering
Things remaining in the truth of what they are, light is liberated
When I came to the precious realization:
No need to become a god
I am neither better nor worse than any other person
At times angry, at times happy, at times sad, at times in pain,
Foolish, funny, noble-minded,
How endearing
Am I… are others… all people.
-----
Submission #13
Name: Mieko Yoshimitsu
Country: Japan
波紋
子供が
小さな石を
池に投げた
水しぶきがきらめき
波紋が広がっていく
波をよける鯉
楽しげに飛ぶ蛙
波の流れに揺れる水草
その水草に落ちまいと
しがみつく小さな魚
鳥はチラッと波を見て
風に乗って
飛び立っていった
子供はただ美しい波模様に見とれていた
波がおさまり
何事もなかったように
水辺に静けさが戻ってきた
子供はもう一度
違う石を投げた
また波紋が広がっていく
波に乗る鯉
石を避け潜っていく蛙
揺れる水草に
投げ飛ばされた小さな魚
鳥はまばたきをして
飛んで去っていった
子供は波を見ていたが
ゆうゆうと泳ぐ亀に目を留め
亀の動きをじっと見ていた
また水辺に静けさが戻ってきた
眉をあげて泳いでいる鯉
辺りを見渡すように葉の上にいる蛙
落ち着きなく動き回る小さな魚
投げられた二つの石たちは
今までにない経験に興奮していた
初めて空を飛び
水の中に飛び込んだ
周りの生き物たちの反応を見て
喜んでいた
池はそんな様子を
ずっと微笑んで見ていた。
生き物が動くことで
淀むことなく
水は流れる
綺麗な自分に満足して
そこにいる生き物たちを抱擁していた
子供はもう飽きてしまって
三度目は石を投げなかった
もっと面白い遊びを探そうと
水辺からスキップして
去っていった
Note: This poem, entitled, “Hamon” (Ripple), is the response to the previous poem, entitled, “Jiyuujizai” (With Perfect Freedom). It is the Answer Song to “Jiyuujizai”, written by the author to her beloved elder sister.
Ripple
A child threw a pebble into a pond
A sheet of spray glimmers, a ring of water begins to ripple and spread out
The carp that avoids the wave
The frog that happily hops about
The waterweeds that sway in the flow of the wave
The tiny fish that refuse to fall into the waterweeds by hanging on
The birds only glanced at the wave
Rose up into the wind
And flew away
The child was completely fascinated by the pattern of the wave
The wave subsides
As if nothing had happened
Tranquillity returned to the water’s edge
The child throws a different pebble again
Once more, a wave begins to ripple and spread out
The carp that rides the wave
The frog that avoids the pebble by diving in
The tiny fish that are thrown about by the waterweeds
The bird blinks
Then flies away
The child was looking at the wave
And is caught by the sight of a turtle swimming leisurely
He gazed fixedly at the turtle’s movements
Once again tranquillity returns to the water’s edge
The carp that swims with its eyebrows raised
The frog who is on top of the leaves as if looking out over the side of the pond
Small fish that move about agitatedly
The two pebbles that had been thrown were excited about the new experiences
Of flying into the sky and then diving into the water for the first time
They noticed the reactions of the surrounding creatures and were delighted
The pond smiled benevolently, observing the state of affairs
When there is life, water flows on without stagnation
Being satisfied with its pure state, it embraced the living creatures that were there
The child had already lost interest and did not throw a third pebble
Looking for something more fun, he skipped away from the water’s edge.
-----
Submission #14
Name: Naoko Yamada
Country: Japan
こわれる
体が 傾き 真直ぐに 立って いられない。
口が しびれ しゃべれない。
手が 固まり 動かない。
目は 見えている、
耳も 聞こえてる、
頭が どうしたんだろう と ??? マーク
穏やかに ツボ が 開けられ、
流れ 始める。
立つことが でき、少しずつ しゃべれる、
固まりが とけて、 心も とけて いく。
ベットに 横になると どこからか ララバイ が 聞こえる。
壊れなくて よかった。
いつまでも ララバイ が 心に 響く。
今も なお !
Falling Apart
The body tilts to one side, unable to stand up straight.
The mouth, numb, unable to talk.
Hands frozen, unable to move.
The eyes can see,
The ears can hear,
What has happened to the head???
Calmly, the acupuncture points are opened,
I begin to flow.
Becoming able to stand, little by little becoming able to speak,
The frozenness melts, the heart melts in relief too.
When lying down in bed, from somewhere there comes the sound of a lullaby.
So glad to not fall apart.
The lullaby keeps playing on in my heart.
Even now, it is so!
-----
Submission #15
Name: Naoko Yamada
Country: Japan
子どもだった頃に
川の流れに 懐かしく 思うのは なぜ?
川の魚たちと静かな時間を 過ごせるのは なぜ?
川底の石たちの ゴツゴツが 楽しさを 増す。
子どもだった頃の 心に 変われる 川で
私は 泳ぐ
懐かしさと 自由の中で 泳ぐ
懐かしさと 自由の中を
私は 泳ぐ
When I was a Child
Why is it that flowing rivers make me feel nostalgia?
Why is that one can spend quiet time with the river-fish?
Rough stones at the riverbed increase the fun.
In the river that enables me to return to the spirit of when I was a child,
I swim.
In nostalgia and freedom, swimming
Inside the nostalgia and freedom
I swim.
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Submission #16
Name: Naoko Yamada
Country: Japan
そまる
真っ赤な ケイトウの花を 見ていると
目が 赤色に そまる。
生き生きとした 木立ちの葉を 見ていると
目が 緑に そまる
透きとおる 青空を 見上げると
目が 真っ青に そまる
あの方の ことを 思うと
目から 涙が こぼれる
Dyed
Gazing at the bright red cockscomb flowers,
My eyes are dyed red.
Gazing at the leaves of the vibrant grove of trees,
My eyes are dyed green.
Gazing up at the transparent blue sky,
My eyes are dyed deep blue.
Thinking of that person,
tears fall from my eyes.
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Submission #17
Name: Miyuki Kuroda
Country: Japan
父の手
今では、しわしわの父の手。
幼い時は、世界で一番大きな手だと思ってた。
その手でギュッと握られると安心した。
眠れない夜、抱っこして背中を優しくたたいてくれた。
生まれたばかりの父の手は、ぷっくりしていただろう。
青春時代は、辛い日々を経験しただろう。
母とであった時、私と弟が生まれた時は幸せだっただろう。
一生懸命、家族や社会のために働いた父の手。
今は、その手を私が握る。
嬉しいいような、寂しいいような 。
しわしわの父の手.
Father’s Hands
Now, Father’s hands are wrinkled.
When I was a child, I thought they were the biggest hands in the world.
When those hands would squeeze mine, I would be reassured.
When I couldn’t sleep at night, those hands would hold me and gently pat me on the back.
Probably when Father was just born, his hands must have been plump and round.
During his youth, he must have experienced hardship.
When he met Mother, when I was born and my little brother was born, he must have been happy.
Hands that worked so hard for his family and society, Father’s.
Now, I am the one who squeezes his hands.
Not quite sad, not quite happy.
My Father’s wrinkled hands.
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Submission #18
Name: Yuuki Sagawa
Country: Japan
私の家
長い間住み慣れた家に住んでいた。
長きに渡る夫の試験が終わって突然家を買うことになった。
毎週不動産屋の車で物件を見て歩いた。
窓がない家、狭い家、ガード下の家、ゴミ屋敷の隣・・・。
最近家を買った人によると家に出会うとピピッとくるものがあるそうだ。
小さくて便利な家が見つかり、申し込みをして契約をすることになった。
契約前日ネットを見ていたらその土地が事故物件であることがわかった。
予算をしきりなおして探したら適当な物件が見つかった。
いざ契約をしようとしたら仲介手数料が高くて支払えないことに気が付いた。
案内してくれた不動産屋を断って仲介手数料無料のエージェントに申し込んだ。
不動産屋が値引きをしたのでやはりこの不動産屋を通じて契約をすることにした。
銀行にローンの審査を依頼したが審査が通らなかった。
銀行に通い申請書を書き直しして何度か提出したら期限当日に審査が通った。
引っ越すことになったら階段が狭いため二階のリビングに冷蔵庫が上がらないことがわかった。
冷蔵庫を上げてくれる引っ越し屋さんを探して引っ越しをした。
新しい家は三階建ての窓が22ある白い家。
三階の寝室で目を覚ますと二階で朝食をとり一階で歯を磨いて三階に上がって着替えをする。
出かける前に玄関で忘れ物に気がついても三階まで取りに行きます。
イタリアのアマルフィに住んで坂を上り下りしているお年寄りのように足腰を鍛えることができる 。
かかわってくれたすべての人々のお陰で今この家の布団の中で寝ている。
夕方、どの家の窓にも明かりがともっている。
すべての人にそれぞれのドラマがあってそこに暮らしている。
引っ越し荷物から一枚の紙が見つかった。
それは家を探し始めたときにSifuからのアドバイスで書いた「住みたい家のリスト」だった。
今そのリストにある「明るい家」に住んでいた。
My House
For a long time, I lived in a house that was dear to me.
After a long period, when my husband’s exams were finally over, suddenly it was time to buy a house.
Every week, in the realtor’s car, we went and saw properties
Houses without windows, houses that were too small, houses under the railway tracks or next to trash houses…
According to someone who recently bought a house, when one encounters a house, some kind of stroke of fate can come one’s way
After finding a small and convenient house, the application was accepted and the contract was about to be signed,
The day before the contract was to be signed, while surfing on the internet, it was discovered that the plot of land was declared to be a ‘bad piece of property’.
Having re-organized the budget and started hunting again, a piece of property casually emerged.
It became clear that at the time of signing the contract, it would not be possible to pay the agent’s high commission.
We had to decline the realtor who introduced us to the property, and then we applied for an agent who did not charge intermediary commission.
Because this agent gave a discount, we decided to arrange the contract with him.
We approached a bank to ask for a loan review, but were declined.
We re-filled out the application form for the bank, and after submitting it a few times, managed to make it in time and get accepted before the deadline.
When it came time to move, because the stairs were so narrow, we realized that the refrigerator would not be able to be carried up to the second floor.
We found a mover that could lift the refrigerator up to the second floor from the outside, and moved.
The new house is a three-storey, white house with 22 windows.
One wakes up in the bedroom on the third floor, eats breakfast on the second floor, brushes the teeth on the first floor, and goes back up to the third floor to change clothes.
On the way out, in the foyer, if one realizes that one has forgotten something up on the third floor, one just has to go up and get it. Like the elderly living in the sloping hills of Amalfi, Italy, one can train and condition the backs and legs.
Thanks to all the people who advised us, we are able to sleep in the futons of this house. In the evenings, the windows of all the houses are lit up. Each person living there has his/her own story.
Out of all the moving boxes, I found a sheet of paper. On it, as per the advice from Sifu when we first began to hunt for a house, was written, ‘Criteria for the Place Where We would like to Live’.
Now, on that list where it says, ‘a cheerful house,’ that is where we live.
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Submission #19
Name: Kyoko Hoshino
Country: Japan
… 3秒、 2秒、 1秒
そして
少年は旅に出る
永遠の虹を探しに
みんな
笑うけど
彼は知っている
知らない世界の始まりは
いつも こうだと…
深い呼吸の中で
何度も迷子になる
コトバの海で
おぼれかけそうになったり
希望といく粒かの涙がともだち
やっと会えた
と
思った、虹を掴む
と
その時
指先からこぼれ落ちる砂
それでも
少年は旅を続ける
"ここ"ではない何処かを目指して
ある日
辿り着く湖のほとり
青く澄んだ空を映しだす水面(みなも)
深くのぞきこむと
…3秒、2秒、1秒
永遠の虹が彼を包み込んでいた
少年は気付く
旅の始まりから"そこ"にあったことを
その瞬間世界は輝きだす
…3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second
And then
The young boy went on a journey
To look for the never-ending rainbow
Everyone
May laugh but
He knows
That the beginning of the unknown world
Always starts like this…
Within the deep breath
He gets lost numerous times
In the ocean of words
He almost drowns
Hope and grainy tears are his friends
Finally, a meeting,
Or
So he thought, and tried to grasp the rainbow,
when
At that moment
Sand spilled and fell through the fingertips
Even so
The young boy continues on his journey
Aiming for somewhere that is not ‘Here’
One day
He finally arrives at the side of a lake
When peering deeply into the water’s edge that reflects the blue, transparent sky
…3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second
The never-ending rainbow has wrapped him all up
The young boy realizes
Everything that has happened since the beginning of the journey until the point of ‘There’
In that instant, the world starts to shine.
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