鳥居一頼のこころおきなく英語版

This poem centers on the Hokkaido dialect word “ habakeru, ” meaning “ to overflow ” or “ to exceed what can be contained. ” By placing it in contrast with “ habakaru ” (to hesitate, to hold back), the poem explores how we navigate society and shape our way of living. Do we kick against social constraints and step beyond them? Or are we driven and restrained by social pressure? Within this shifting balance, we continue searching for who we truly are. To “ habakeru ” is to summon the energy to challenge possibility itself.     “ Habakeru ”   Unexpectedness is what makes it good. Betraying expectations is what makes it interesting. Not fitting into a mold is best of all.   Throw other people ’ s gossip into the gutter. Know that other people ’ s reputations are inedible fare. To hell with other people ’ s judgments.   An unfolding no one foresaw. An outcome no one predicted. An ending no one even sensed.   It is go...

This poem stands as a counterpart to “ The ABCs of Trust. ” Following the flow of the Japanese syllabary, it catalogs the traits that give rise to distrust, exposing their ugliness and danger without restraint. What is portrayed here is not merely personal vice. When distrust spreads, how does society become distorted? What is excluded, and what becomes justified? Like a mirror, this poem reflects that reality and confronts the reader with unsettling questions.   “ The ABCs of Distrust ”   Openly looking down on others. Spiteful, lashing out with abuse. Calling lies “ necessary evils ” and telling them endlessly. Bowing like a grasshopper before the powerful. Is it the head and heart that are crooked?   Living with boundless greed. Kicking others down on a whim. Shifting hardship onto others while claiming the credit. Devotion that is nothing but a cheap imitation. Ambition already hollowed out and worn away.   Merciless towar...

This poem traces the Japanese syllabary—moving through the sounds of a, i, u, e, o and onward—while portraying the qualities of a trustworthy person. Rather than fame or visible achievement, it highlights everyday conduct, quiet kindness, and an earth-scented sincerity as the true foundations of trust. “ The ABCs of Trust ” is, in a sense, an attempt to revisit the fundamental notes that compose the character of a human being.   “ The ABCs of Trust ”   Warm-hearted and straightforward. Mischievous, yet full of warmth. Unashamed to shed tears of joy. A smile that crumples like a child ’ s. Always ready to meddle for someone ’ s sake.   An irreplaceable person. One who does not speak in empty platitudes. One who never boasts of hardship. A wise and prudent person. Someone you want to lend a hand to when they are in trouble.   Quietly shows kindness. When scolding, does so with earnest resolve. Has the strength to be their natura...

What we expect from politicians is the ability to empathize with others ’ pain and to judge calmly for the good of society as a whole. Yet, in reality, we often witness conduct that calls such qualities into question.   By stringing together a series of invented “ syndromes, ” this poem sharply exposes what may be lacking—or excessive—in those who hold power. Mimicking the tone of medical diagnoses, it becomes a satirical social critique.   “ The Qualifications of a Politician ”   Emotional Deficiency Syndrome Emotional Deprivation Disorder Emotional Absence Syndrome Emotional Defect Disorder   Emotional Numbness Syndrome Empathy Deficit Disorder Emotional Dysfunction Syndrome Emotional Instability Disorder Emotional Volatility Syndrome Emotional Underdevelopment Disorder   Empathy-Impairment Syndrome Emotional Expression Difficulty Syndrome Emotional Neglect Disorder Emotional Bias Syndrome Emotional Concealment...

After a long working life, the father retires; the mother, who supported him all those years, now faces a new reality— endless days together at home.   What was supposed to be freedom feels strangely suffocating. At the threshold of old age, the couple fumbles, misaligns, and sometimes feels they must “ run away ” just to breathe.   This poem portrays the awkward tenderness of that transition. The Kansai phrase “ nigenakya akan ” ( “ you ’ ve got to escape ” ) carries not blame, but a practical wisdom: sometimes distance is what keeps closeness alive.   “ We ’ ve Gotta Get Away ”   Father retired. He threw off his shackles, tossed away his tie, declared he ’ d finally do what he liked.   Father, now a free man. Mother, not so free.   Father never misses his three meals. Mother is bound to preparing those three meals.   Father heads out to golf. Mother rushes off to her salon.   Father and mother g...

This poem portrays the inner turmoil and collapse that arise when one is shaken by another ’ s words—especially the words of poetry. When confronted with empathy and feeling as though one ’ s hidden emotions or malice have been exposed, a person may reject, attack, and resort to self-defense. Yet those very words gradually corner the self and ultimately bring about a “ breach of the heart. ” Using language as a mirror, the poem questions human nature and sharply depicts the collapse that lies at the end of self-denial and hollow bravado.   “ A Heart in Rupture ”   To resist and deny. To refuse and condemn. Unable to endure, to rebel.   Shaken by poetic words. Struggling, unable to accept them honestly. The heart, seen through, recoils in rejection.   Why reject the empathy thrust forward by the poem? Hidden feelings are dragged into the open. Must one live clutching writhing malice within? An inescapable conflict gnaws at the soul. Wi...

This poem questions the attitude adults must take when facing the gaze of children. Children who are pure, who seek truth, reflect justice, and even contemplate life and death. In response to their clear and searching eyes, the poem urges us—quietly yet powerfully—to live with a “ fervent gaze ” of our own. A child ’ s gaze is the future, and at the same time a mirror reflecting who we are as adults. This poem calls us to awaken to that awareness.   “ With Fervent Eyes ”   Let us pour forth fervent eyes— and cherish the pure gaze of children who dream of tomorrow.   Let us be mindful with fervent eyes— and face the burning gaze of children living irreplaceable moments.   With fervent eyes, let us quietly behold— and be saved by the truth-seeking gaze of innocent children.   With fervent eyes, let us live— and lay ourselves bare before the radiant gaze of children that reflects justice.   With fervent eyes, let us rec...

  Emotions are not something we simply “ possess ” within the heart; they are realities to be lived through the body. This poem presents that resolve in stark, direct language. Compassion, kindness, joy, sorrow, suffering, fear, anger, and hope—each is not an abstraction but something to be embraced with one ’ s whole being. To know emotion is not to observe it from a distance, but to engage it fully and transform it into action. The poem powerfully insists on this embodied understanding of feeling.   “ To Know Emotion ”   Compassion is not something to possess. Compassion is something to enact with one ’ s whole being.   Kindness is not something to cultivate from afar. Kindness grows only when one gives oneself to it completely.   Joy is not something to hand out. Joy is something earned by wearing oneself to the bone.   Sorrow is not something to wallow in. Sorrow is something to overcome with one ’ s very body.   Su...

During the long period of separation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the preciousness of meeting one another face to face was deeply engraved in our hearts. This poem portrays, with sincerity, the joy of reunion and the cycle of “ smiles ” and “ gratitude ” that arises within relationships of mutual support. The mere presence, voice, and gentle being of the visitor awaken the strength to live. Confirming each other ’ s safety and being able to connect in person becomes a source of hope. It is a quiet testament to the irreplaceable value of everyday human connection.   “ Smiles and Gratitude ”   Until the day you came to visit, I lived in eager anticipation. Your smile made me so happy that my fears of COVID faded away.   Just hearing your voice, I reassured myself of your safety. How long I had wished to see your smiling face again.   Until the day we could meet and talk, I waited for a whole year. Longing to feel your kindness, at last my heart finds peace...

Though we may believe we confirm our existence on our own, in truth it is sustained within the gaze and memory of others. Through the twin themes of “ existence ” and “ memory, ” this poem reflects on what anchors a human life. In particular, it quietly portrays a person who, while facing the anxiety of fading cognition and forgetting, seeks to rediscover the self that once surely existed in the past. It suggests that existence is not confined to the present moment, but continues to dwell within the memories of others.     “ Dwelling in Memory ”   Proof of existence is granted by others. Even if I deny myself, I remain within them.   To question the worth of existence is an unwritten taboo. It denounces the arrogance that selects and discards human beings.   If one does not awaken to one ’ s own existence, one is buried in time. If one cannot recognize others, one is isolated.   Through memory, existence is acknowledged. Within...

Faith is meant to arise from the freedom of the human spirit, offering solace and a place of refuge. Yet in reality, money and control often entangle themselves around belief, and people’s anxieties and vulnerabilities can be exploited in its name. This poem does not deny faith itself; rather, it examines the distortions that emerge when faith becomes institutionalized and organized. It quietly asks what awaits those who run toward salvation.   “People Turn to Faith”   Faith celebrates the freedom of the spirit. Yet money inevitably clings to faith.   Believers seek salvation and so they believe. Yet believers donate as proof of their devotion.   Are those who believe truly saved? Those who do not believe look on in doubt.   Religious organizations bind believers in the name of doctrine. They squeeze believers while preaching their teachings. They discipline believers under the guise of guidance.   New religions arise and van...

The phrase “ be strong ” is meant to encourage, yet at times it becomes a blade that corners a child. This poem reexamines what “ strength ” truly means amid the reality of bullying. It questions whether strength lies in physical power, intelligence, status, or wealth—or whether it is the state of one ’ s heart that truly matters. The repeated plea, “ Please tell me, ” is both a cry for answers and a mirror reflecting the values of the adults who speak those words. “ Let ’ s Make Strong Children ”   You ’ re bullied because you ’ re weak. The strong don ’ t get bullied.   They told me to become strong. I didn ’ t know what was supposed to be strong. Was I to train my body to fight back against bullies? If your body is weak, you ’ re just bullied forever.   They told me to become strong. I didn ’ t know what kind of strong child they meant. Was I to sharpen my mind to outwit the bullies? The jealous only upgrade their bullying anyway. ...

This work portrays the deep grief of a fourth-grade child who suddenly lost his mother, alongside the classroom teacher ’ s response to the poem the child wrote. Through this episode, it explores the tension between technique and heart in education. The repeated use of the words “ Mother ” carries a cry of loss—raising the question of who is truly able to receive and understand it.    Too Many “ Mothers ”   Mother was hit by a car. Mother was laid in the hospital morgue. We took Mother to the crematorium. Mother turned into bones. We placed Mother in a small box. We set Mother before the Buddha. I pray to Mother every day.   This is a poem by a fourth-grade child who lost his mother. The homeroom teacher instructed, “ You only need to write ‘ Mother ’ in the first line. ” The child refused to rewrite it.   The teacher could not receive the child ’ s deep longing for his mother. Seizing the moment, the teacher taught poetic techn...

A stance of acting without proclaiming. Rather than loudly declaring love or devotion, it embodies them quietly through conduct. In just three lines, this poem distills an ethic and a resolve for living.   “ Without Speaking of Love ”   Speak not of love — act. Speak not of hardship — smile. Speak not of filial piety — stay beside.  

Hatred does not erupt in flames from the beginning. Idle words and threats accumulate, harden, and eventually freeze. That congealed hatred transforms into anger, takes up weapons, becomes fighting spirit, and ultimately turns into the very force that drives war. This poem traces the process by which hatred “ congeals, ” and the death and rubble left in its wake, as well as the reality of living on while still carrying that hardened hatred within. With a restrained, repetitive rhythm, it quietly questions whether the true essence of war lies not only in destruction, but in the hatred that spreads and is shared across the world.   At the End of Congealed Hatred   Idle talk became reality. Congealed hatred was provoked.   Threats reached their limit. Congealed hatred turned into anger.   Mockery could no longer be forgiven. Congealed hatred took up weapons.   Freedom or subjugation—only two choices. Congealed hatred became the ...

The characters for “ pain ” ( 辛 ) and “ happiness ” ( 幸 ) differ by only a single horizontal stroke. That one line separates suffering from joy. This poem reflects quietly on how closely happiness and hardship stand back to back in human life, entrusting its meditation to the subtle beauty of written characters. Is that single stroke an accident, a matter of attitude, or something shaped through relationships with others? Added or subtracted, shifting with circumstance— the poem asks how we are to handle that one fragile line, and what resolve it demands of us.   A Single Horizontal Stroke Between Pain and Happiness   To lament life— pain cuts deep. Sorrow runs deeper still. Terror makes us tremble. What we detest grows many. A single horizontal stroke turns happiness into pain. In an instant, everything reverses. The present does not know itself as “ now. ”   Is life a tale of upheaval? What is ordinary is overturned. Calm is sha...

After seven years of continuing these training sessions, a turning point has arrived. This poem, “ Graduating, ” tells not only the story of one who finishes a role, but also of those who begin anew.   Standing alongside community welfare and child welfare volunteers—people closest to the struggles and quiet pains within their communities—the poet has handed them poems not merely as texts, but as seeds of reflection and keys to the heart.   Parting is not an ending. From repaying a kindness to passing kindness forward— the poem gently suggests that graduation is not about completion, but about entrusting a calling so that it may continue to circulate in the world.     Graduating   For seven years I have continued training sessions for newly appointed community and child welfare volunteers. This winter marks the last.   Hidaka, Tokachi, Sorachi, Kamikawa, Ishikari— completed. Abashiri was left undone, halted by harsh we...

A quiet, everyday act—sharpening a kitchen knife. Within this simple, repetitive motion emerge concentration, dialogue, and the light and shadow of civilization itself. Iron has sustained human life, advanced agriculture and industry, and at the same time enabled warfare. Through the tactile certainty of sharpening a blade, this poem reexamines human endeavor as a whole. The sharpened edge contrasts with the self that can no longer be honed. What begins as a calm moment in the kitchen deepens into a meditation on civilization.     Sharpening   Sharpen the knife. Soak the finishing whetstone with water. Set the blade against it.   Feeling a slight resistance, press the edge forward. The stone wears down, bleeding a reddish-brown hue. Move from tip to edge to heel.   Sharpen a double-edged knife. At the right moment, turn it and hone the reverse side. Bent over in the kitchen, the work continues.   Sharpening always settles t...

This poem dissects “ boredom ” and “ decadence ” not as fleeting emotions, but as structures of decline. Boredom unfolds as an inner hollowing of the individual, while decadence spreads outward, eroding society and culture. Neither arrives suddenly; both accumulate unnoticed, gradually numbing thought and action. Through stark enumeration, the poem makes these warning signs visible and issues a quiet but unmistakable alarm. “ Boredom and Decadence ”   Boredom is the waste of time the loss of purpose the decline of motivation the erosion of sensitivity the absence of judgment the slowing of action the paralysis of thought   Decadence is the drift toward self-indulgence the denial of one ’ s own existence the decay of former glory the destruction of culture sexual frenzy the collapse of morality the loss of trust the spread of unhealthiness the encouragement of violence the devaluation of values the bewilderment of thought

This poem gently peers into a child ’ s invisible “ pocket of the heart. ” What it holds are not objects, but kindness and sincerity received from friends, along with quiet wishes about the kind of person one hopes to become. Even when uneasiness spills out from time to time, the pocket continues to fill with trust, courage, and dreams. The poem softly celebrates the inner source of a child ’ s growth and the preciousness of what they carry within.   “ What Did You Put in Your Pocket? ”   Your pocket— a mysterious pocket   What did you put in your pocket just now? I put in a friend ’ s kindness   What did you put in your pocket just now? I put in a friend ’ s sincerity   What did you put in your pocket just now? I put in the wish to become someone like this   What did you put in your pocket just now? I put in the wish to do something like this   What ’ s inside your pocket? It ’ s full of kindness I want to...

This poem gently reminds us that a child ’ s sense of security, safety, and stability does not depend on extraordinary conditions or complex systems. Rather, it is sustained by the everyday presence and care of adults—simple, ordinary acts that are nevertheless indispensable. What children truly need is not much at all, but the certainty that a loving adult is nearby. Through quiet and tender words, the poem asks us whether we are truly offering that presence.   “ A Child ’ s Sense of Security, Safety, and Stability ”   What children receive from adults   Security Falling asleep quickly at night Being able to dream happy dreams Having their side of the story listened to Smiling simply because someone is there beside them   Safety Learning to greet others properly Being firmly protected from accidents and illness Not being exposed to fear or sadness Being clearly taught what is right and what is wrong   Stability Eating m...

This poem begins with the visceral phrase “ a shudder of disgust ” and traces how a personal sense of revulsion expands into social fear and, ultimately, a threat to humanity itself. What starts as loathing toward a single figure grows into horror at the crowds who worship him, the atmosphere where fanaticism and mockery intertwine, and finally into a rejection of a world order that justifies division and violence. The poem moves beyond metaphorical emotion and arrives at a point where disgust becomes a warning—no longer a private sensation, but a danger signal emitted by the age itself.     “ A Shudder of Disgust ”   Just hearing this man ’ s name makes me nauseous. Just seeing his name makes me feel unwell. That is what it means to feel a shudder of disgust.   Just seeing this man ’ s face gives rise to anger. Just hearing his voice sends chills down my spine. That is what it means to have disgust run through you.   Each time I see...

This poem calmly examines how words proclaimed during elections gradually mutate over time. It dissects political techniques such as promise-making, postponed decisions, and the staged appearance of action. Without resorting to emotional outrage, the poem exposes the calculated timing and delay tactics used by those in power, while questioning how ordinary people are positioned within this structure—and how they should confront that reality. “Techniques of Deception” Promises are the prologue to deception. A consumption tax cut— “an interim summary before summer,” they said. Every party shouted it amid rising prices. This is the result of that chorus. No excuses needed at the register, yet delays proceed with leisure, putting on the act of progress. Once parliament convenes, numbers take command. Priorities are written in small letters. A cunning technique once used by former Prime Minister Abe— boldly declared as a legacy to be inherited, so vigilance is requir...