Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Kazuko Shiraishi

SUMMER TIME – THE FULL MOON FOUR DAYS AFTER JULY 27TH

my mother silently went to heaven      four days ago
and tonight      is the full moon
my mother quietly completed her work
                       the last penance called living
when she breathed in and exhaled      as though teaching
as far back as to the Inca Empire
                                          the thin river of her life
                                                         trembled like a thread

now everything is fine
she is                 happier than the moon         she does not have to wander about
                                                       among the dark clouds

she does not have to                     shine serenely
                                       and slowly leave
she has obtained        the permanence
of her existence by not existing             ah
I forgot to say, thank you           because your leaving
this world was         too soon         and too quiet a sigh

what is called permanence is         transient
because it only exists inside me
in this finite inside
infinity        that is a permanence is      now
                                                                                  floating

ah                full moon
                                  please shine
on my beloved                      my mother
                                  please flutter
                       like a spring breeze
               quietly over the repose of her soul
                             like
                                         drops of light

SUMMER TIME VOLLE MAAN VIER DAGEN NA 27 JULI

moeder steeg zwijgend ten hemel     vier dagen geleden
en vanavond is het full moon     volle maan
moeder voltooide stilletjes haar taak

de laatste boetedoening die leven heet
het inademen het uitademen     alsof die leerstelling
helemaal tot aan het Incarijk zou reiken
  de maan van haar tere leven
   trilde als een draad

het is goed zo
zij    is gelukkiger dan de maan     tussen die donkere wolken
  hoeft zij niet te dwalen

ze hoeft niet sereen te stralen
niet rustig heen te gaan
door niet te bestaan heeft zij de eeuwigheid     van het bestaan
verkregen     o,
dank je wel    ben ik vergeten te zeggen     want jouw vertrek
uit deze wereld was too soon     een al te stille zucht

eeuwigheid     is broos
want zij bestaat alleen binnenin mij
in dit eindige binnenin
drijft een oneindigheid     dat wil zeggen eeuwigheid     nu
   los

o     full moon
schijn toch alsjeblieft
  op mijn geliefde     mijn moeder
wapper alsjeblieft
  als een lentebries
   over haar zielenrust
als
  druppels licht

Close

SUMMER TIME – THE FULL MOON FOUR DAYS AFTER JULY 27TH

my mother silently went to heaven      four days ago
and tonight      is the full moon
my mother quietly completed her work
                       the last penance called living
when she breathed in and exhaled      as though teaching
as far back as to the Inca Empire
                                          the thin river of her life
                                                         trembled like a thread

now everything is fine
she is                 happier than the moon         she does not have to wander about
                                                       among the dark clouds

she does not have to                     shine serenely
                                       and slowly leave
she has obtained        the permanence
of her existence by not existing             ah
I forgot to say, thank you           because your leaving
this world was         too soon         and too quiet a sigh

what is called permanence is         transient
because it only exists inside me
in this finite inside
infinity        that is a permanence is      now
                                                                                  floating

ah                full moon
                                  please shine
on my beloved                      my mother
                                  please flutter
                       like a spring breeze
               quietly over the repose of her soul
                             like
                                         drops of light

SUMMER TIME – THE FULL MOON FOUR DAYS AFTER JULY 27TH

my mother silently went to heaven      four days ago
and tonight      is the full moon
my mother quietly completed her work
                       the last penance called living
when she breathed in and exhaled      as though teaching
as far back as to the Inca Empire
                                          the thin river of her life
                                                         trembled like a thread

now everything is fine
she is                 happier than the moon         she does not have to wander about
                                                       among the dark clouds

she does not have to                     shine serenely
                                       and slowly leave
she has obtained        the permanence
of her existence by not existing             ah
I forgot to say, thank you           because your leaving
this world was         too soon         and too quiet a sigh

what is called permanence is         transient
because it only exists inside me
in this finite inside
infinity        that is a permanence is      now
                                                                                  floating

ah                full moon
                                  please shine
on my beloved                      my mother
                                  please flutter
                       like a spring breeze
               quietly over the repose of her soul
                             like
                                         drops of light
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère