Poem

Michio Mado

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The Plate

When it slipped from my hand
before it hit the floor
the plate broke
inside me
that moment surprised me

When the plate reached the floor
and broke once again
it was embarrassed like the glory of the setting sun
Was it ashamed to be different from the plate that broke inside me?

No.
Its thought dashed to
its ancient dwelling place,
the final destination of its broken pieces,
each broken into smaller and smaller pieces

© Translation: 1999, Takako Lento
From: Masters of Modern Japanese Poetry
Publisher: The Morris-Lee Publishing Group, Rosemont, New Jersey, 1999

THE PLATE

From: Masters of Modern Japanese Poetry
Publisher: The Morris-Lee Publishing Group, Rosemont, New Jersey

Michio Mado

Michio Mado

(Japan, 1909 - 2014)

For the last half a century, literally everyone in Japan, of any age, has been familiar with the children’s song ‘Little Elephant’. This, and other well-known songs by the same writer, are almost as popular as Mother Goose nursery rhymes in the English-speaking world. But not many knew that these verses were written by a man named Michio Mado, and even fewer were aware that Mado was in fact a s...

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The Plate

When it slipped from my hand
before it hit the floor
the plate broke
inside me
that moment surprised me

When the plate reached the floor
and broke once again
it was embarrassed like the glory of the setting sun
Was it ashamed to be different from the plate that broke inside me?

No.
Its thought dashed to
its ancient dwelling place,
the final destination of its broken pieces,
each broken into smaller and smaller pieces

© 1999, Takako Lento
From: Masters of Modern Japanese Poetry
Publisher: 1999, The Morris-Lee Publishing Group, Rosemont, New Jersey

The Plate

When it slipped from my hand
before it hit the floor
the plate broke
inside me
that moment surprised me

When the plate reached the floor
and broke once again
it was embarrassed like the glory of the setting sun
Was it ashamed to be different from the plate that broke inside me?

No.
Its thought dashed to
its ancient dwelling place,
the final destination of its broken pieces,
each broken into smaller and smaller pieces

© 1999, Takako Lento
From: Masters of Modern Japanese Poetry
Publisher: 1999, The Morris-Lee Publishing Group, Rosemont, New Jersey

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