英語で味わう狂歌大田南畝-36 Enjoying Kyoka in English: Nanpo Ota-36

2024-01-01

英語で味わう狂歌大田南畝-36
Enjoying Kyoka in English: Nanpo Ota-36

風のいる　すきまもみえぬ　山ざくら　桜が山か　山がさくらか

大田南畝

Wild cherries are in full blossom densely,
It’s difficult to tell mountain from cherry, cherry from mountain distinctly.

Ohta Nampo

Translated by Kota Nakako

(注) 狂歌(きょうか)とは、風刺、皮肉、しゃれ、滑稽を盛り込んだ5-7-5-7-7形式の短歌。江戸時代後期(18世紀後半)に隆盛し、天明狂歌として黄金期を迎える。大田南畝(蜀山人ｼｮｸｻﾝｼﾞﾝ; 1749-1823)は、その代表的文人、狂歌師。

Note: Kyoka is satirical, ironical or comical short Japanese poem, derived from Tanka, composed of 31 syllables, with a pattern of 5-7-5-7-7 sounds. It flourished and marked a golden age in the late Edo period in the late 18th century as Tenmei Kyoka. Ota Nampo, Shokusanjin (1749-1823), is one of the leading Kyoka poets.

2024/01/01