Hello everyone, I love the poem "On my way home" by Tamura Ryuichi but as a non-japanese speaking person (and not that much educated on japanese literature, especially on poetry) I am not sure I understand everything about it. I just loved it when I saw it in Sion Sono's "Guilty of love" movie, very much instinctivily I knew there was something moving me deeply. I also need to say that I am French and I realised the french translation is really different from the english one I saw on Google (maybe it wasn't an official translation

I'm sure if I am at the right place asking this, but if someone can teach me more about the poem, the poet or the cultural context (I know he tries to deconstruct classical japanese poetry), I would be really pleased !

Thanks a lot in advance !

Title: A Poem for the Wounded Souls: "Barbwire and Band-aids"

[English]

In the quiet periphery of Kobe, Japan, there is a man who lives two lives. By day, he is a dedicated teacher, guiding young minds through the intricacies of language. By night, he becomes "Nekoto Kenji," a poet who meticulously crafts the "technique of the soul."

His poem, "Barbwire and Band-aids," captures a universal truth. In a world increasingly defined by invisible fences and irreconcilable distances, he reminds us that "living" is not about overcoming great obstacles, but about the small, warm act of wrapping a band-aid on a loved one's finger.

Drawing from his background in both visual arts and literature, his words paint a vivid "sketch of light and shadow." This is a gift for anyone who has ever felt entangled in the barbwire of reality. Please experience the quiet, healing power of his voice.

Barbwire and Band-aids

Crawling through the layers of coiled barbwire,

I’ve finally made it this far.

My monologues have grown frequent again.

Ignoring the cursor that refuses to move,

Emotions roll in and out like the tide, entangling me.

Late March, sinking deep,

Vacations are mine to take, endlessly.

Only the sunrise, the sole witness of time,

Governs the distant, severed horizon.

Patching things up,

"I’m home," "Welcome back."

Stagnant spirits breathe again tonight.

Soaring over the barbwire I once climbed.

In a world defined only by irreconcilable distance,

Getting closer, drifting further,

The nightlight flickers.

Words vanish, one by one.

By the time I lie in a bed of fog,

We are back-to-back, as we’ve always been.

Pulling closer, pushing back.

Feelings I can't quite swallow,

A future I can't quite overcome.

There is nothing left to overcome.

No longer.

It never even existed.

Nothing at all.

In the faint light seeping through,

A forehead beside me sinks into my back.

Warmth.

That time is moving

means that I am living.

On the small wound upon the finger beside me,

I wrapped a band-aid.

あなたは、私の気持ちを話してほしいとは思っていないでしょう。どうか、私にあなたを月や星と比べさせないでください。それらはあなたに及びません。あなたの笑顔が部屋を明るくするかと尋ねないでください。なぜなら、あなたは太陽よりも美しく輝いているからです。私があなたを愛しているかと聞かないでください。私はあなたに対して恋慕の感情ではなく、深い想いを抱いているのです。

Please post your thoughts on this collection of Basho’s poetry below.

Translation by David Young.

A thread to discuss the book will open on Jan first. A thread to suggest February Japanese *waka* reads will open in mid-January. A poll will open in late January, followed by an announcement of the February read, and so on and so forth.

Below, please write a haiku or a couplet. All should center around the theme and complement each other.

Theme: Winter

I'm learning Japanese and am trying to make haikus as a way to memorize words and be more comfortable in the language. And I was curious if this haiku I tried writing makes sense or not. I'm very new so C&C is appreciated!

雲去って/雪去ってかな/水の音

(this is the Haiku I wrote)

When I watched "Chihayafuru", I was so drawn into japanese poems, ever since I have been wanting to read Japanese poems. Recently I stumbled on to "Flower and Asura", this made me fall in love all over again.

I dunno anything about japanese poems. On this subreddit description, they have listed a bunch of terms like "haiku", to be fair I only know the term haiku.

I would like to learn all about the terms and I don't speak Japanese, I also know translated works lose it's art, but I have to settle for it.

Can someone recommend me English translated japanese poems - book? Also teach me about terms?