Poem
Masayo Koike
Water Vein I Well
Descending down to the bottom at the endOf the snow-covered slope
Lies an old spring water well
Darkly swaying clear water surface
On careful inspection there
Steam rises
Unconsciously I dipped my hand in
I was struck
Embraced by the earth
Warm water
Before I could ask why
Already there was
Delivered there
And arrived temperature
As if ashamed
Of its speed
Instead of language
The water had turned to rising steam
I also
Lay the burden of language down
And soaked my hands silently in the water
To reply
To the words of the spring
© Translation: 2006, Leith Morton
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: Vagabond Press, Sydney, 2006
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: Vagabond Press, Sydney, 2006
WATER VEIN I WELL
WATER VEIN I WELL
© 2001, Masayo Koike
From: Ameotoko, Yamaotoko, Mame o hiku otoko
Publisher: Shinchosha, Tokyo
From: Ameotoko, Yamaotoko, Mame o hiku otoko
Publisher: Shinchosha, Tokyo
Poems
Poems of Masayo Koike
Close
Water Vein I Well
Descending down to the bottom at the endOf the snow-covered slope
Lies an old spring water well
Darkly swaying clear water surface
On careful inspection there
Steam rises
Unconsciously I dipped my hand in
I was struck
Embraced by the earth
Warm water
Before I could ask why
Already there was
Delivered there
And arrived temperature
As if ashamed
Of its speed
Instead of language
The water had turned to rising steam
I also
Lay the burden of language down
And soaked my hands silently in the water
To reply
To the words of the spring
© 2006, Leith Morton
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
Water Vein I Well
Descending down to the bottom at the endOf the snow-covered slope
Lies an old spring water well
Darkly swaying clear water surface
On careful inspection there
Steam rises
Unconsciously I dipped my hand in
I was struck
Embraced by the earth
Warm water
Before I could ask why
Already there was
Delivered there
And arrived temperature
As if ashamed
Of its speed
Instead of language
The water had turned to rising steam
I also
Lay the burden of language down
And soaked my hands silently in the water
To reply
To the words of the spring
© 2006, Leith Morton
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
From: Masayo Koike: Selected Poems
Publisher: 2006, Vagabond Press, Sydney
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère