Poem
Wakako Kaku
Body
You’ve got a voice to sing songsnot to make speeches, right?
You’ve got ears to hear songs
not to listen to everything so you miss nothing
Your fingers are for caressing your beloved earlobes
not for pointing accusingly, right?
You’ve got limbs just to dance, don’t you?
Your hands are not for clinging to something
nor for clutching a knife
Your knees are not there for you to hug in a crouch
Your heels are not for stomping
Your skin is there to feel the breeze on your finger as it points to the sky
Your shoulders are there to catch flower petals
Your lips are for kissing
Your cheeks are there to be kissed, isn’t that right?
When each and every one of them
is used just as it is supposed to be
your body comes alive, doesn’t it?
You’ve got eyes to see the morning glow, don’t you,
however long this night might linger?
© Translation: 2009, Takako Lento
BODY
© 2002, Wakako Kaku
From: Zero ni naru karada
Publisher: Tokuma Shoten, Tokyo
From: Zero ni naru karada
Publisher: Tokuma Shoten, Tokyo
Poems
Poems of Wakako Kaku
Close
Body
You’ve got a voice to sing songsnot to make speeches, right?
You’ve got ears to hear songs
not to listen to everything so you miss nothing
Your fingers are for caressing your beloved earlobes
not for pointing accusingly, right?
You’ve got limbs just to dance, don’t you?
Your hands are not for clinging to something
nor for clutching a knife
Your knees are not there for you to hug in a crouch
Your heels are not for stomping
Your skin is there to feel the breeze on your finger as it points to the sky
Your shoulders are there to catch flower petals
Your lips are for kissing
Your cheeks are there to be kissed, isn’t that right?
When each and every one of them
is used just as it is supposed to be
your body comes alive, doesn’t it?
You’ve got eyes to see the morning glow, don’t you,
however long this night might linger?
© 2009, Takako Lento
From: Zero ni naru karada
From: Zero ni naru karada
Body
You’ve got a voice to sing songsnot to make speeches, right?
You’ve got ears to hear songs
not to listen to everything so you miss nothing
Your fingers are for caressing your beloved earlobes
not for pointing accusingly, right?
You’ve got limbs just to dance, don’t you?
Your hands are not for clinging to something
nor for clutching a knife
Your knees are not there for you to hug in a crouch
Your heels are not for stomping
Your skin is there to feel the breeze on your finger as it points to the sky
Your shoulders are there to catch flower petals
Your lips are for kissing
Your cheeks are there to be kissed, isn’t that right?
When each and every one of them
is used just as it is supposed to be
your body comes alive, doesn’t it?
You’ve got eyes to see the morning glow, don’t you,
however long this night might linger?
© 2009, Takako Lento
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