Tanka by Noriko Tanaka
translated by:Carol Hayes & Noriko Tanaka
人間を避けてあかるき谷川に太郎の笛が響きわたれり
Avoiding humans
The notes of Taro’s flute reverberates along the valley rivers
ものがたりにならってひとり樹のうろに散華の笛を吹くなり太郎
Like the tales of old
Taro plays his flute-each note a scattered petal
Alon in the hollow of a tree
人間嫌いの太郎であれば一枚歯の下駄で山野を駆けまわりいる
Always a recluse
Taro’s out running around the mountains and fields
On his single-toothsd geta
鳴き声の絶えた蛙を呼んでいる太郎の笛かあわき虹たつ
Does Taro’s flute call to the froges as their croaking wanes?
A faint rainbow draws a line across the sky
一行のうたのかわりに雨あとの虹を太郎のもとへ送ろう
Shall I send a rainbow after the rain
Instead of a line of verse
To Taro feet