Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Sayaka Osaki

Heaven and Earth

I hear a song as I step in
I look but no one is singing
Crows cool themselves under roof of the fountain
Dogs compete to show their breeding
Comfort lodges in the profiles of the people

Why is someone here who isn’t?
I wonder if I’m just mistaken
I wonder if this slight misfortune
Might take form and show itself

The song seems to sing
Of some happening in the distant past
That became part of people, made them weep
Then was forgotten completely

The song comes from the water’s edge
I hear it not in my ears
But in my backbone

天地

天地

踏みこむと歌が聞こえた
見渡したが誰も歌っていなかった
からすが噴水の天井を掠めていく
犬たちが品の良さを競っている
人びとの横顔に余裕が宿っている

ここにいない人がいるのはどうしてだろう
どうもなにか勘違いしていないかな
ちょっとした禍々しさが
姿を見せてくれはしないかな

いつかずっと過去に起こり
皆身にしみて涙をながし
それからさっぱり忘れてしまった出来事を歌は
歌っているらしい

歌は水辺のほうから聞こえてくる
耳ではなくて
背骨に聞こえてくるらしい
Close

Heaven and Earth

I hear a song as I step in
I look but no one is singing
Crows cool themselves under roof of the fountain
Dogs compete to show their breeding
Comfort lodges in the profiles of the people

Why is someone here who isn’t?
I wonder if I’m just mistaken
I wonder if this slight misfortune
Might take form and show itself

The song seems to sing
Of some happening in the distant past
That became part of people, made them weep
Then was forgotten completely

The song comes from the water’s edge
I hear it not in my ears
But in my backbone

Heaven and Earth

I hear a song as I step in
I look but no one is singing
Crows cool themselves under roof of the fountain
Dogs compete to show their breeding
Comfort lodges in the profiles of the people

Why is someone here who isn’t?
I wonder if I’m just mistaken
I wonder if this slight misfortune
Might take form and show itself

The song seems to sing
Of some happening in the distant past
That became part of people, made them weep
Then was forgotten completely

The song comes from the water’s edge
I hear it not in my ears
But in my backbone
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère