Poem
Jūkichi Yagi
From Note D, 1926
WRITTEN IN BED (NO TITLES)***
Unaccountably lonely in autumn.
***
I’d like to see God in my dreams.
***
On some days looking at the autumn sky I feel peace of mind.
***
If I don’t kill myself it is because I believe in Christ.
A DOVE
A dove’s voice at the window . . .
I hear it most joyfully when my temperature is low.
SOLILOQUY IN BED
***
They flow naturally.
What should I do with these tears?
***
I’d like to spread zealously the name of Jesus Christ
who was crucified to save us.
***
I’d like to recover soon
and spread the names of God and Jesus.
***
There are nights when I fall asleep
to the sound of the waves meshing with my thoughts.
There are times when I can’t sleep at all.
***
Tomiko,
I don’t mean that.
I mean that if I must die anyway
then please let me die with a beautiful heart.
***
Tomiko,
when we knew happiness together,
those times when I was to blame for things,
I can now see very clearly.
***
Seen through the window, the sky and flowing clouds—
I turn away from their excessive seriousness.
***
Tomiko,
I can’t stand being in bed alone.
***
O Heavenly Father,
please save this feeble body and soul
and let me work on behalf of the light of God and Christ.
***
Oh,
what can I do?
***
Days of Purgatory.
Days of Purgatory.
***
Tomiko,
when not calling God’s name
I’m calling yours.
***
Clouds float by in the sky
and
are looking at me abed.
***
I will be together with the heart of God.
***
Momoko and Yooji,
it’s painful that I can’t see you.
I’m happiest at having been your father
and not anyone else’s.
***
Ah, how wonderful the sound of those waves.
I’d love to go to the beach.
***
Tomiko,
I am ill
and thinking of you as my mother.
© Translation: 2008, William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura
From Note D, 1926
© 1926, Jūkichi Yagi
From: from unpublished manuscript called Note D
These poems were written about 1 year before the poet\'s death as he spent most of his days bedridden with tuberculosis. Tomoko is the name of the poet\'s wife, Momoko his daughter then age 3, and Yoji his son age 1.
From: from unpublished manuscript called Note D
Poems
Poems of Jūkichi Yagi
Close
From Note D, 1926
WRITTEN IN BED (NO TITLES)***
Unaccountably lonely in autumn.
***
I’d like to see God in my dreams.
***
On some days looking at the autumn sky I feel peace of mind.
***
If I don’t kill myself it is because I believe in Christ.
A DOVE
A dove’s voice at the window . . .
I hear it most joyfully when my temperature is low.
SOLILOQUY IN BED
***
They flow naturally.
What should I do with these tears?
***
I’d like to spread zealously the name of Jesus Christ
who was crucified to save us.
***
I’d like to recover soon
and spread the names of God and Jesus.
***
There are nights when I fall asleep
to the sound of the waves meshing with my thoughts.
There are times when I can’t sleep at all.
***
Tomiko,
I don’t mean that.
I mean that if I must die anyway
then please let me die with a beautiful heart.
***
Tomiko,
when we knew happiness together,
those times when I was to blame for things,
I can now see very clearly.
***
Seen through the window, the sky and flowing clouds—
I turn away from their excessive seriousness.
***
Tomiko,
I can’t stand being in bed alone.
***
O Heavenly Father,
please save this feeble body and soul
and let me work on behalf of the light of God and Christ.
***
Oh,
what can I do?
***
Days of Purgatory.
Days of Purgatory.
***
Tomiko,
when not calling God’s name
I’m calling yours.
***
Clouds float by in the sky
and
are looking at me abed.
***
I will be together with the heart of God.
***
Momoko and Yooji,
it’s painful that I can’t see you.
I’m happiest at having been your father
and not anyone else’s.
***
Ah, how wonderful the sound of those waves.
I’d love to go to the beach.
***
Tomiko,
I am ill
and thinking of you as my mother.
© 2008, William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura
From: from unpublished manuscript called Note D
These poems were written about 1 year before the poet\'s death as he spent most of his days bedridden with tuberculosis. Tomoko is the name of the poet\'s wife, Momoko his daughter then age 3, and Yoji his son age 1.
From: from unpublished manuscript called Note D
From Note D, 1926
WRITTEN IN BED (NO TITLES)***
Unaccountably lonely in autumn.
***
I’d like to see God in my dreams.
***
On some days looking at the autumn sky I feel peace of mind.
***
If I don’t kill myself it is because I believe in Christ.
A DOVE
A dove’s voice at the window . . .
I hear it most joyfully when my temperature is low.
SOLILOQUY IN BED
***
They flow naturally.
What should I do with these tears?
***
I’d like to spread zealously the name of Jesus Christ
who was crucified to save us.
***
I’d like to recover soon
and spread the names of God and Jesus.
***
There are nights when I fall asleep
to the sound of the waves meshing with my thoughts.
There are times when I can’t sleep at all.
***
Tomiko,
I don’t mean that.
I mean that if I must die anyway
then please let me die with a beautiful heart.
***
Tomiko,
when we knew happiness together,
those times when I was to blame for things,
I can now see very clearly.
***
Seen through the window, the sky and flowing clouds—
I turn away from their excessive seriousness.
***
Tomiko,
I can’t stand being in bed alone.
***
O Heavenly Father,
please save this feeble body and soul
and let me work on behalf of the light of God and Christ.
***
Oh,
what can I do?
***
Days of Purgatory.
Days of Purgatory.
***
Tomiko,
when not calling God’s name
I’m calling yours.
***
Clouds float by in the sky
and
are looking at me abed.
***
I will be together with the heart of God.
***
Momoko and Yooji,
it’s painful that I can’t see you.
I’m happiest at having been your father
and not anyone else’s.
***
Ah, how wonderful the sound of those waves.
I’d love to go to the beach.
***
Tomiko,
I am ill
and thinking of you as my mother.
© 2008, William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura
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