“Lightening” (August 6, 1931)
稲妻 (INAZUMA)
Landscapes, December 23, 1949

 
     
  涼みゆく 街をりをりに電線の 針金黒 く稲妻光るも
128

The black electric
Wires here and there
Along the streets I
Walk to cool myself,
Shine in the lightening.

#1, page 28, S5-183A 
 
S2-88A 涼みつゝ 街中行けば電線の 針金黒く稲妻の光る In a set of draft poems titled “Lightening,” #1, from the 4th Zuikô Poetry Meeting on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Number 4, September 1, 1931.
 
    S2-88A translation
As I walk the streets / To cool myself, / Here and there / Black are the electric wires / In the lightening.
 
  此里は 蛍の名所と聞きつるに 稲妻し げくほいなく過ぎぬ
129

Said to be famous
For fireflies, as the
Lightening becomes plentiful,
They dart here and
There through this village.

#2, page 29, S5-183B
 
S2-88D 此里は 蛍の名所と聞きつるに 稲妻しげく本意なく過ぐるも In a set of draft poems titled “Lightening,” #4, from the 4th Zuikô Poetry Meeting on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Number 4, September 1, 1931.
   
  高く低く 飛び交ふ蛍めぐしみつ 眺む る空に稲妻光る
130

High and low
Flirting around each other
Teeming, they shine
In the lightening of
The sky I view.

#3, page 29, S5-183C 
 
S2-88E 高く低く 飛び交ふ蛍めぐしもと 眺むる未に光るも稲妻 In a set of draft poems titled “Lightening,” #5, from the 4th Zuikô Poetry Meeting on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Number 4, September 1, 1931.
 
      S2-88E translation
High and low / Flirting around each other / Precious indeed the fireflies / As I view them / Shining in the lightening.
 
  はたた神 遠鳴りやめど稲妻の きらめ きのみはまだ残るなり
131

The summer thunder
From heaven faraway
Has stopped
Though the glittering
Of the lightening remains.

#4, page 29, S5-183D
 
S2-89B はたた神 速鳴りやめど稲妻の きらめきしげく雲の厚きも In a set of draft poems titled “Lightening,” #7, from the 4th Zuikô Poetry Meeting on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Number 4, September 1, 1931.
 
      S2-89B translation
The summer thunder from / Heaven nearby has stopped / Though the lightening / Still glitters profusely / Through the thick clouds.
  
    をりをりに 稲妻光りうちあぼぐ 空に 雲足いとはやきかも
132  

The lightening flashes
From time to time,
Gazing into the sky,
The movement of clouds
Indeed is swift.

#5, page 29, S5-184A
 
S2-89C をりをりに 稲妻光りて大空は 雲足はやく木の葉散るなり In a set of draft poems titled “Lightening,” #8, from the 4th Zuikô Poetry Meeting on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Number 4, September 1, 1931.
 
      S2-89C translation
Through the great expense of sky, / Brightened from time to time / With lightening, the clouds / Shift quickly, / Leaves fall from the tree. 
   
    おどろおどろ 遠鳴る雷まだひびき 雲 のはたてに稲妻光る
133  

Dreadfully
The faraway thunder
Still roars, and
All the clouds of the heavens
Shine in the lightening.

#6, page 29, S5-184B
 
S2-89E おどろおどろ 遠鳴る雷ひびかひて 雲のはたてに稲妻の光る In a set of draft poems titled “Lightening,” #10, from the 4th Zuikô Poetry Meeting on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Number 4, September 1, 1931.
 
      S2-89E translation
Dreadfully / The faraway thunder / Roars, and / All the clouds of the heavens / Shine in the lightening.
 
    堪えやらぬ 今日の暑さも稲妻の きら めき初めて和らぎにける
134  

The flashes of lightening
Alleviate for the first time
This unbearable
Hot weather we  
Experience today.

#7, page 30, S5-184C
 
S2-90A 堪へやらぬ 暑さも今宵稲妻の きらめき初めて和らぎにける In a set of poems composed at the Fourth Zuikô Society Poetry Meeting held on August 6, 1931, and published in Zuikô, Volume 1, Issue 4, #11, September 1, 1931. 
 
      S2-90A translation
The flashes of lightening / Alleviate for the first / Time this evening / The unbearable / Hot weather.