木下 杢太郎 (きのした‐もくたろう) Kinoshita Mokutaro (1885 - 1945)

『天草組』 / The Amakusa Gang

黒船 人も来よ、異船〔あやしぶね〕くる、 いとくろく、烏〔からす〕に似たる。 あら笑止〔せうし〕、船なる人も 皆黒し、帽〔ぼう〕も袴〔はかま;〕も。 このあまき葡萄〔ぶどう〕の島に、 無花果〔いちじく〕の歓〔ゑら〕げる丘に、 何見ると千里鏡〔とほめがね〕見る。 懐疑〔うたがひ〕の北国人〔ほくこくびと〕は。 * ここでは、九州に旅行に出かけた自分たちを、黒船の到来にたとえ、また、 自分らを北国人と呼んでいる。自らを風刺したもの。

Black Ship Come ye, come all, a Strange-Ship comes, Ever so black, and likened to a raven. Oh, silly, the people aboard, All dressed in black, their hats, and hakama-trousers and all. On this island where grapes are sweet, Upon the hills where the fig-trees play. Whatever they observe, through the telescope they observe, The skeptical ones, these Northlanders. * Black Ships(Kurofune) refer to the American steam-powered warships led by Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry which first arrived in Uraga in 1853. In this work, the poet makes a fanciful analogy between his group of friends arriving by ship as tourists to Kyushu. Since Kyushu is the southernmost major island, he calls their group Northlanders as well. (⇒)

あまくさ     天草旅行の間、戯れに吉井勇に与ふ。 天草高来〔あまくさたかく〕1の民こそは、 耶蘇〔やそ〕の外法〔げほふ〕を伝へぬれ。 港に入れる、やあら、いよ、 勇魚〔いさな〕2追ひこしみやびをは、 さみどりの胸いとかたき 無花果〔いちじく〕の少女〔をとめ〕らに、 ああら切支丹伴天連〔きりしたんばてれん〕の3 恋の秘法ぞ伝へぬる。 1 熊本県天草は、キリシタン教徒の一揆(1637年の島原の乱)の場所。 長崎県高来(たかき)町も、その近くにある。 2 「勇魚」は鯨の古称（最近ではＣ・Ｗ・ニコルの小説の邦題で知られる）。 ここでは追い込み漁業にかけて、吉井が恋愛の標的(まだ色も熟さ ないような少女たち)を追いつめることを表している。 3 切支丹伴天連の術は、宣教師らが布教するときにもちいた手品の術だが、 これを女性をまどわす吉井勇のプレイボーイぶりを風刺したのだという。

AMAKUSA dedicated to Isamu Yoshii in jest, on a trip to Amakusa. Amakusa1 and Takaku's folk be the ones who passed on Jesu's foreign faith. Entering the port, Heave, Ho! The grace of them rounding up whalefish2. To the figtree-island's maidens with chests of budding-green, ever so firm, Oh, he's using the conjuring of the Christian padres3, To teach them the secret ways of love. 1 Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture is the site of the famous Christian peasant uprising of 1637-8. Takai-cho (the poet seems to use a dialect pronunciation) in Nagaski Prefecture is also a nearby town. The shogunate government outlawed Christianity, and secret believers have passed down the faith their own unique ways since they were to them in the 17th century. 2 The antiquated term isana("brave-fish") for the whale is used here. The chasing of the whale and cornering them, a traditional whale-hunt method, but here an analogy for his friend Yoshii "gracefully" cornering his quarry (young ladies like an unripe fruit). 3 The Art of the Christian Padres refers to magic tricks employed by Catholic missionaries to gain converts to their faith. (⇒)

『食後の唄』 / Songs After the Repast

金粉酒 EAU-DE-VIE〔オ オ ド ヰ イ〕 DE 〔 ド 〕 DANTZICK 〔 ダ ン チ ッ ク 〕1 黄金〔こがね〕浮く酒 おお五月、五月、小酒盞〔リケエルグラス〕 わが酒舗〔バア〕の彩色玻璃〔ステエンドグラス〕 街にふる雨の紫。 をんなよ、酒舗〔バア〕の女、 そなたはもうセルを著〔き〕たのか、 その薄い藍〔あゐ〕2の縞〔しま〕を？ まつ白な牡丹〔ぼたん〕の花、 触るな、粉が散る、匂ひが散るぞ。 おお五月、五月、そなたの声は、 あまい桐の花の下の、笛〔フリウト〕の音色 わかい黒猫の毛のやはらかさ、 おれの心を熔かす日本の三味線。 EAU-DE-VIE〔オ オ ド ヰ イ〕 DE 〔 ド 〕 DANTZICK 〔 ダ ン チ ッ ク 〕 五月だもの、五月だもの− (Amerikaya-Barに於いて) 1 ドイツ語でゴールドヴァッサーという、金粉入りのブランデーがある。ダンチック市(現ポーランド領グダンスク) の名物。 2 日本の藍(タデ科)は、インジゴ(マメ科)とはまったく別の植物だが、 とられる染料は同様のものである。「薄い藍」というのは、もしくは 空色なのかもしれないが、それならば「浅葱(あさぎ)色」と称する。	GOLDWASSER Eau-de-Vie of Danzig1, The cordial speckled with gold-dust O May, month of May, and liqueur glass; The stained glass at the bar of mine. The purple of the rainfall in the streets. Oh woman, oh you barmaid woman, Have you yet put on that serge-silk piece, The one with the pale indigo2 stripes? Oh, peony blossom of the purest white, Don't touch, lest the powder dust off,    and the perfume scatter all over. Oh month of May, thy voice is the playing of a flute Beneath the kiri 3 flowers sweet. The soft-haired black cat not full-grown. [Strumming of the] Japanese samisen 4 that melts my heart. For it's the month of May, the month of May. (at the Amerikaya-Bar) 1Goldwasser is a type of brandy with bits of gold dust, and a specialty of Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland). 2 The ai or Japanese indigo plant (Polygonum family) is unrelated to the indigo plant of India (legume family) but the dyestuff is esentially the same. He could be referring to a cerulean(sky-colored) dyed from ai although that hue is usually called asagi, not "pale ai" 3 kiri or paulownia is a tree that blooms in clusters of pale lilac around May-June. Its light wood (like balsawood) is used for making everything from boxes for food items to kimono chests with drawers. 4Here I used the antiquated spelling samisen to refer to the shamisen, a stringed instrument, outwardly resembling a banjo, and strummed with a large pick called the bachi. (⇒)
両国 両国1の橋の下へかかりや 大船は檣〔はしら〕を倒すよ、 やあれそれ船頭が懸声〔かけごゑ〕するよ。 五月五日のしつとりと 肌〔はだ〕に冷〔つめ〕たき河の風、 四ツ目〔よつめ〕2から来る早船〔はやぶね〕の   緩〔ゆるや〕かな艪拍子〔ろびょうし〕や、 牡丹〔ぼたん〕を染めた袢纏〔はんてん〕の   蝶蝶〔てふてふ〕が波にもまるる。 灘〔なだ〕3の美酒、菊正宗〔きくまさむね〕、 薄玻璃〔うすばり〕の杯〔さかづき〕へ   なつかしい香〔か〕を盛つて 西洋料理舗〔レストラント〕の二階から ぼんやりとした入日空〔いりひぞら〕 夢の国技館の円屋根〔まるやね〕こえて 遠く飛ぶ鳥の、夕鳥の影を見れば なぜか心のみだるる。 1 両国にあるのは、相撲競技場の国技館で、第2節で触れている。 2 四ツ目には昔、牡丹園が有名で、船頭も牡丹を半纏に染め抜いていた。 3 酒どころの灘は、神戸の近辺にある。 <	RYÔGOKU Getting ready to pass under the Ryôgoku1 Bridge, The galleon lowers its rigs down. "Tug, ho!" the captain yells, "Let 'er go!" he yells. On the fifth of May, the damp river breeze feels cold to the shoulder's touch. The oarsman's leisurely strokes on the fast-boat from Yotsume2 . And on his hanten-jacket, the butterfly alit on the peony rolls with the motion of waves. Kikumasamune, the fine sake of Nada3. Pour into the thin-rimmed glass tumbler its memory-evoking fragrance. From the restaurant balcony, An obscured view of the sunset skies Over the dome of dream-filled Kokugikan. In the far sky, I see the vesper birds, Which puts my heart somehow less at ease. 1 Ryogoku is the area where the sumo-wrestling arena Kokugikan (mentioned in stanza 2) is located. Yotsume was apparently a district where there used to be a famous peony garden. That is why the oarsman of the fast-boat had a peony printed on his jacket. 2 Nada is one of the major sake brewing areas, just outside Kobe. (⇒)
街頭初夏 紺〔こん〕の背広の初燕〔はつつばめ〕 地をするやうに飛びゆけり。 まづはいよいよ夏の曲、 西〔ざい〕−−東西〔とうざい〕 1−の簾〔みす〕巻けば、 濃いお納戸〔なんど〕の肩衣〔かたぎぬ〕の 花の「昇菊〔しょうぎく〕、昇之助〔しょうのすけ〕」* 義太夫節〔ぎだいふぶし〕 2のびら札の 藍〔あい〕の匹田〔ひきた〕 3もすずしげに 街〔まち〕は五月に入りにけり 赤の襟飾〔ねくたい〕　初燕 心も軽〔かろ〕くまひ行けり。          * 珈琲の中にコニヤツクの酒入るるを好みたまふほどの人 は、この行の次に「いよご両人待てました」の一行を入れ 試みたまへ。 1「西、東西」は、幕が開けるときの口上。 2 訓じ方は原文どおり。この頃流行の女義太夫〔ぎだゆう〕を観劇している。 3 匹田〔ひきた〕−疋田〔ひった〕絞り。	BREAK OF SUMMER IN THE STREETS The first swallow sporting a navy coat Swoops down just short of grazing ground. At long last, a summertime number is first up: "Zai, Tôzai! 1" the screen scrolls up. The stage-blossoms: "Shôgiku, Shônosuke." A flier for the "Gidaifu-bushi" 2 performance. The indigo hitta 2 waving cooly. The town welcomes the month of May. A crimson tie, the first swallow. The heart is drawn nigh to the graceful dance.          * If you're of the type who likes to add cognac to your coffee then try inserting here the line "Iyo;, goryônin mattemashita" [Hey, the two of you, you're the ones we've been waiting for!] 1 Zai, Tôzai is a phrase that's pronounced at the opening of the curtain. It literally means "west, east-west." 2 What the poet calls "Gidaifu-bushi" is usually called "Gidayû-bushi", and it is a sort of chant or singing type of storytelling, and is a branch of the jôruri theater. In particular, these are the types performed by women. Shogiku and Shonosuke were sisters, and hence "stage blossoms." 3 hitta is a type of shibori(tie-dye) technique. (The poet calls it hikita which is irregular.) (⇒)
該里酒          -- (「鴻の巣」の主人に) 冬の夜〔よ〕の暖炉〔すとおぶ〕の 湯のたぎる静けさ。 ぽつと、やや顔にでたるほてりの 幻覚か、空耳かしら、 該里玻璃杯〔せりいぐらす〕のまだ残る酒を見入れば ほのかにも人の声する。 ほのかにも人すすり泣く。 「ええ、ま...あ、なあ...にご...と ぞい、な...あ...」と さう言ふは呂昇〔ろしょう〕 1 の声か、 此〔この〕春聴いた京都の寄席〔よせ〕の... それをきいて人の泣いたる...。 乃至〔ないし〕その酒の仕業〔しわざ〕か。 冬の夜の静けさに 褐〔あか〕く澄む該里〔せりい〕の酒。 さう言ふは呂昇の声か、 乃至その酒の仕業か。 幕あけて窓から見れば、 星の夜の小網町河岸〔こあみちょうがし〕 1 船ひとつ...かろき水音。 1 豊竹呂昇。名古屋の女義太夫。 2 小網町。東京の日本橋にある。	SHERRY WINE          -- dedicated to the owner of Maison Kônosu On a winter night, the stillness of A pot simmering over stove. My face is shot with warm tingles. A hallucination? Or a trick-of-the-ear, When I stare at what's left of the sherry and here distant voices of people, and even distant sobs of people? "Er, y...es, wha...at's...go- ing on, wh...a..." Could it be the voice of Roshô? At the yosé [story-telling] performance in Kyoto last spring... And the sobbing of the crowd watching... Or is it the effects of wine? Amid the winter night's stillness, The sherry wine's pelucid red. Is that Roshô speaking? Or might it be the effects of wine? Parging the curtains aside, I see out On a starry night over Koamichô's piers, A lone boat... softly splashes against water. 1 Roshô Toyotake, a female gidayû performer in Nagoya. 2 Koamichô is located in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo.