Miyazawa Kenji

Here's a translation of a poem by a 20th century Japanese writer. The poem is well known in Japan. I think it gives a good insight into the character of the Japanese people that has so impressed the world at this time of struggle in their country.

November 3^rd

Neither yielding to rain

nor yielding to wind

yielding neither to

snow nor summer heat

with a stout body

like that

without greed

never getting angry

always smiling quiet-

ly

eating one and a half pints of brown rice

and bean paste and a bit of

vegetables a day

in everything

not taking oneself

into account

looking listening understanding well

and not forgetting

living in the shadow of pine trees in a field

in a small

hut thatched with miscanthus

if in the east there’s a

sick child

going and nursing

him

if in the west there’s a tired mother

going and carrying

for her

bundles of rice

if in the south

there’s someone

dying

going

and saying

you don’t have to be

afraid

if in the north

theres a quarrel

or a lawsuit

saying it’s not worth it

stop it

in a drought

shedding tears

in a cold summer

pacing back and forth lost

called

a good-for-nothing

by everyone

neither praised

nor thought a pain

someone

like that

is what I want

to be

- Miyazawa Kenji (translated by Hiroaki Sato & published by

North Point Press)