Poem
Masayo Koike
A Short Poem about Daybreak
America, in a toilet in Santa FeDaybreak
I was urinating softly for a long long time
In the whole world
I felt as if there was only this sound and myself
Despite the fact that I was making the noise
Curiously it sounded as if it was coming from outside
As I was being consoled by it
Like an old woman’s unending story
I was
Waiting for it to end
But it would not
A time that doesn’t belong
To anyone
Anywhere
I wasn’t here,
I’m not alive,
I could even say this
Presently the sound ceased
In this room that had rapidly grown cold
A silent soul suddenly created
Is that me, is it me?
The temperature of life left in the shape of an invisible circle
Were you there?
Were you there in that room?
I was
I am alive
Long before then the questioning voice reached me
© Translation: 2006, Leith Morton
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: Vagabond Press, Sydney, 2006
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: Vagabond Press, Sydney, 2006
A SHORT POEM ABOUT DAYBREAK
A SHORT POEM ABOUT DAYBREAK
長い旅の途中アメリカ、サンタ･フェのバスルームで
あけがた
長い長い静かな放尿の音を立てていると
世界に
私とこの音しかいないような気がしてくる
この音といったって自分がたてているのに
それは奇妙にも外側から聞こえて
私をなぐさめてくれているようなのだ
老婆の終わりのない物語のような
それ
が終わるのを待ちながら
でもそれはなかなか終わらない
誰にも
どこにも
所属しなかった時間
ここにいなかった、
生きていなかった、
と言うことさえもできるのだ
やがて音が止み
急速に冷えてゆく室内で
ふいに組成された無音の魂
これがわたし、わたしなのか
見えない輪のかたちに残された生の温度
おまえはいたのか
そこにいたのか
わたしはいた
生きていた
問う声が届く、そのずっとまえに
© 2001, Masayo Koike
From: Yoakemae Juppun
Publisher: Shichosha, Tokyo
From: Yoakemae Juppun
Publisher: Shichosha, Tokyo
Poems
Poems of Masayo Koike
Close
A Short Poem about Daybreak
America, in a toilet in Santa FeDaybreak
I was urinating softly for a long long time
In the whole world
I felt as if there was only this sound and myself
Despite the fact that I was making the noise
Curiously it sounded as if it was coming from outside
As I was being consoled by it
Like an old woman’s unending story
I was
Waiting for it to end
But it would not
A time that doesn’t belong
To anyone
Anywhere
I wasn’t here,
I’m not alive,
I could even say this
Presently the sound ceased
In this room that had rapidly grown cold
A silent soul suddenly created
Is that me, is it me?
The temperature of life left in the shape of an invisible circle
Were you there?
Were you there in that room?
I was
I am alive
Long before then the questioning voice reached me
© 2006, Leith Morton
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
A Short Poem about Daybreak
America, in a toilet in Santa FeDaybreak
I was urinating softly for a long long time
In the whole world
I felt as if there was only this sound and myself
Despite the fact that I was making the noise
Curiously it sounded as if it was coming from outside
As I was being consoled by it
Like an old woman’s unending story
I was
Waiting for it to end
But it would not
A time that doesn’t belong
To anyone
Anywhere
I wasn’t here,
I’m not alive,
I could even say this
Presently the sound ceased
In this room that had rapidly grown cold
A silent soul suddenly created
Is that me, is it me?
The temperature of life left in the shape of an invisible circle
Were you there?
Were you there in that room?
I was
I am alive
Long before then the questioning voice reached me
© 2006, Leith Morton
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
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