Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Shuntaro Tanikawa

EPITAPH FOR “POET’S TOMB”



When I was born
I was nameless
like a water molecule
But right away I was fed vowels mouth-to-mouth
consonants tickled my ears
I was called and
pulled away from the cosmos
 
Oscillating the atmosphere
carved onto clay tablets
inscribed on bamboo
recorded on sand
words are onion skins
If I keep on peeling
I will not find the cosmos
 
I would have loved to lose words
to be a tree singing in the wind
I would have loved to be a cloud from a hundred thousand years ago
I would have loved to be a whale’s song
Now I go back to being nameless
with dirt over my eyes, my ears and my mouth
with stars leading me by the fingers

「詩人の墓」へのエピタフ

「詩人の墓」へのエピタフ

生まれたとき
ぼくに名前はなかった
水の一分子のように
だがすぐに母音が口移しされ
子音が耳をくすぐり
ぼくは呼ばれ
世界から引き離された
 
大気を震わせ
粘土板に刻まれ
竹に彫りつけられ
砂に記され
言葉は玉葱の皮
むいてもむいても
世界は見つからない
 
言葉をなくして
そよぐ木々になりたかった
十万年前の雲になりたかった
鯨の歌になりたかった
今ぼくは無名に帰る
目と耳と口を泥にふさがれ
指をもう星に預けて
Close

EPITAPH FOR “POET’S TOMB”



When I was born
I was nameless
like a water molecule
But right away I was fed vowels mouth-to-mouth
consonants tickled my ears
I was called and
pulled away from the cosmos
 
Oscillating the atmosphere
carved onto clay tablets
inscribed on bamboo
recorded on sand
words are onion skins
If I keep on peeling
I will not find the cosmos
 
I would have loved to lose words
to be a tree singing in the wind
I would have loved to be a cloud from a hundred thousand years ago
I would have loved to be a whale’s song
Now I go back to being nameless
with dirt over my eyes, my ears and my mouth
with stars leading me by the fingers

EPITAPH FOR “POET’S TOMB”



When I was born
I was nameless
like a water molecule
But right away I was fed vowels mouth-to-mouth
consonants tickled my ears
I was called and
pulled away from the cosmos
 
Oscillating the atmosphere
carved onto clay tablets
inscribed on bamboo
recorded on sand
words are onion skins
If I keep on peeling
I will not find the cosmos
 
I would have loved to lose words
to be a tree singing in the wind
I would have loved to be a cloud from a hundred thousand years ago
I would have loved to be a whale’s song
Now I go back to being nameless
with dirt over my eyes, my ears and my mouth
with stars leading me by the fingers
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère