[Haiku and a few translation trials] 俳句および俳句の翻訳

Haiku is a very short version of poem that has been continuing since long time ago in history, which goes in 5-7-5 syllable pattern in Japanese. When I was in my 20s I used to think it was too short for a poem to satisfy me because you cannot say a lot in it. It goes well beyond 5 or 7 syllables so soon when you try to say something (just like I can't fit my blog article into 5 or 6 syllable phrase). You cannot even insert any explanation in it.

But now, as I became older, haiku is becoming so attractive to me because it brings me a spiritual refreshment as if I have a Zen training. I have never tried a real Zen practice but I feel I am at it when I start reading just one or two haiku.

I began to think at the same time that haiku must be one of the best ways to describe what is good about Japan . It also tells you how Japanese take things around them. There must be a lot more to be told about it in haiku poems than I can recognize. I want to pick up a few haiku poems I found by chance today. Appreciating those haikus, I realize how different they are from the Japan that I am familiar with.

I am not really sure if my English translation is precisely correct but this is how I understand these haikus in Japanese.

1) composed by Kazehashi

Out in the sky are stars all around
Myself alone,
Hearing the wind blow

2) composed by Oikawa

Lightening in the sky
Has nothing to do
With my learning words in the study

3) composed by Yamaguchi

Clouds pass by
One after another
While I work on the pine tree


俳句。昔むかしからある5-7-5のあれです。20代の頃でしたか、俳句って形式は面白くない、と思っていました。物事を5-7-5などで書くなんて自分にはできない、という考えでした。どう考えたって5とか7は、語数が少ないじゃないか、と思ったわけです。（このブログが5-7-5に収まっていないように。）説明など加えられません。

しかし、俳句は私に大きなリフレッシュメントを与えます。精神的に落ち着かせるような、心を広げるような、そんな実感があります。体験をしたことはないのですが、禅の静寂を連想させます。

そんな訳で、俳句は日本・日本語の素晴らしい部分を持っていると私は思っています。日本的な感性の真髄とはこういうものではなかろうか、とも思います。本日は、たまたま自分が見つけ、気にいった俳句の英訳を掲載いたします。こういうものに接していると、しかしながら、なんとまあ身の回りにある「日本」と違うことよ、と思ったりもしますが。私が今回英訳したものが正しい翻訳かどうかは分かりませんけれど、でも、「私はこの日本語をこう読み取った」ということでご了承ください。

1) カゼハシ氏・作

Out in the sky are stars all around
Myself alone,
Hearing the wind blow

2) 及川氏・作

Lightening in the sky
Has nothing to do
With my learning words in the study

3) 山口氏・作

Clouds pass by
One after another
While I work on the pine tree