TANKA by Kusunoki seiei
translated by: Amelia Feilden & Saeko Ogi
万緑の丘のひとつをうつしたる馬頭観音ガラスまなこよ
one of the hills
of myriad green leaves
is mirrored
in the glass eyes
of the Horse-headed Kannon
蓮弁の礎石の窪みにたたへたる水に映りし空も暮れゆく
reflected in water
in the hollow of the pedestal,
lotus petal shaped,
the sky too
is darkening
カタカタと後輪のみ鳴る自転車がゆふかげのなか揺らぎつつゆく
making a clatter
with just its back wheel,
a bicycle
goes swaying along
in the night shadows
踏まれたる邪鬼はかすかに笑みてゐるこの太子堂昼でも昏し
the trodden Jaki devil statue
is faintly smiling
in this Prince Shõtoku hall
which is dark
even in the daytime
腕と同じ数だけ腋窩はあるだらう千手観音に向かひゐるとき
when I’m facing
the Thousand-armed Kannon
I conjecture
she has as many armpits
as she has arms