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Requiem for a Haijin - Niji Fuyuno

 

ATribute to Niji Fuyuno

I would like to share with you the following haiku written by the Japanese poet, Niji Fuyuno, who sadly passed away on 11th February 2002. This is our humble way of expressing our heart-felt condolences to her husband, Ryu Yotsuya, who is himself also an accomplished poet and critic. Our sympathy also goes to Ryu and his family and friends and also to Niji's family and friends. A noble and beautiful lady, Niji will be sorely missed.

Yours sincerely,

Susumu Takiguchi

Two Love haiku by Niji Fuyuno
translated by Ryu Yotsuya

Usurai wa namida o tome ru saku nari shi

The thin coating ice
was a fence
to dam up tears

 

Budo-tsubu sora no omosa no futari kana

Each ball of grape -
the couple has the weight
of the sky

---

More Haiku by Niji Fuyuno
translated by Niji Fuyuno

 

Konpasu no sen kara temari kobore keri

A ball popped out
from the circular line
of a compass

 

Meron hodo awaki kage mochi natsu no yagi

Having a shadow
as pale as a melon,
a goat of summer

 

Sakura-iro no ookina umi o suberu neko

The cat slides
on a spacious lake colored
with cherry flowers

 

Hi no niou doro-ningyo o furimuke ru

A doll of mud is
fragrant with sunshine,
I turn it toward me

 

Anshitsu ni sakura no ehagaki o wasure

In a photo darkroom
I leave a postcard
of cherry flowers

 

Omoi mizu aki no kyokai-do o deru

Heavy water
goes out
from an autumn chapel

 

Choso no goto ongaku o abi haha yo

Like a sky burial
the music falls all over me,
Oh, mother!

 

Kagero no tebukuro o shi te tatte iru

I stand still
having on shimmers, gloves
made of sunny spring

 

Haiiro no yume ni hotaru o nuri-komeru

Into a gloomy dream
fireflies are sealed up
with plaster

 

Otobai tomaru kagami ni remon sumi

A motorcycle stops,
a lemon reflected serenely
in the mirror

 

Shikiten no aki no hoki o yuramekasu

For rites
I make sway, to and fro in the sky,
the broom of autumn

 

Orufeusu hanaya ni kurai ishi ga aru

Oh, Orpheus,
I find a big somber stone
in a flower shop

The following five haiku poems by Niji Fuyuno have just been published in Japan as KANTO (poems especially printed on the first page of the magazine to commend them as being of the highest excellence of the issue) in the prestigious comprehensive haiku magazine HAIKU, February Issue 2002, vol. 51, issue 3, Kadokawa-shoten. The HAIKU is one of the most influential "commercial" haiku magazines in Japan. These magazines do not belong to any haiku association or club and are distinguished from magazines which are organs of such bodies.


koyuru toki suisen akari tsurete sugu

when passing
I pass, taking with me
the narcissus light

 

ume-ga ka mo kasumo to narinu kuni-zakai

at the border
even the plum perfume
turns freckles

 

ubugoe to hanabi no sora wo nui awasu

first cry of the baby
and the firework sky
I stitch them together

 

nakanai-de marumochi mittsu hashitte yuku

Don't cry
three round rice-cakes
run along

 

arachi no kusa ashita e sora wo fukan-su 

waste land grasses
sealing the sky towards
tomorrow

---

 

Next Page: WHC Tribute in Poetry to Niji Fuyuno

 

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