鳥居一頼のこころおきなく英語版

This poem sharply portrays a society in which the pursuit of economic gain has come to dominate all aspects of life, distorting both human values and social structures. From politics and war to labor, education, and child-rearing, economic logic takes precedence, eroding human dignity and essential ways of living. As it questions what ultimately remains in a society driven by efficiency and profit, the poem also quietly urges us not to lose sight of our human foundation.     “ A Society That Prioritizes the Economy ”   Economic priorities surpass even politics. Strategic maneuvers go too far. War itself is stained with profit. Negotiation is conducted through threats and force. Greed for money spreads without end.   The monster called “ the economy ” is built into everything. Efficiency becomes a myth of effectiveness. In pursuit of productivity, people become machines. Rationalization yields profit through labor reduction. Results and ou...

This poem reflects on the many layers hidden within the everyday phrase “ it can ’ t be helped. ” Behind this simple expression lie resignation, acceptance, limitation, abandonment, and justification. While it can serve as a way to come to terms with reality, it also carries the danger of excusing one ’ s own weakness and halting thought and action. Through its repetition, the poem invites us to reconsider how we use this phrase—and what it reveals about ourselves.   “ It Can ’ t Be Helped ”   It can ’ t be helped. Nothing more can be done. There is no way out— words of resignation.   It can ’ t be helped. Nothing we do is rewarded. At times, it is unbearable— words of reluctant acceptance.   It can ’ t be helped. Whatever we try, it is beyond us. Our strength runs out— words of limitation.   It can ’ t be helped. From the start, we do nothing. We know it is useless— words of abandonment.   It can ’ t be help...

This poem reexamines the human condition and the distortions of contemporary society through the contrasting concepts of “ sanity ” and “ madness. ” By measuring actions and values—such as life, conscience, truth, and dignity—it carefully draws distinctions between what is sane and what is not. Yet in its closing lines, it suggests that the boundary between the two may be perilously thin. In an age where madness increasingly permeates everyday life, the poem calls on us to continually question ourselves.     “ Sanity and Madness ”   To cherish life is sanity. To toy with life is madness.   To follow one ’ s conscience is sanity. To trample on conscience is madness.   To listen to dissent is sanity. To suppress dissent is madness.   To discern right from wrong is sanity. To count only profit is madness.   To follow divine teachings is sanity. To profane the divine is madness.   To restrain emotion is sanity. ...

his poem is written for children who carry dreams within them, and for those who wish to stand nearby as those dreams are woven. It does not rush toward outcomes, but lingers in gentleness, trust, and the quiet courage of growing up.   To the Children Who Weave Their Dreams   I want to wander in the dream worlds of children. I want to lose myself in the soft worlds they imagine. I want to be wrapped in worlds of kindness and rest.   Children who pursue unfulfilled dreams overcome fragility, becoming wanderers— travelers on a journey of dreams.   They place a single drop of dream upon the palm of their hand, eyes shining as they gaze toward tomorrow. Without fear, they fix their eyes ahead. Dignified, wholesome, living fully in the present. So that not one child will abandon their dream, I want to protect the precious lives and hearts of children.   The joy of living is but a fragment of a dream. Leaping from a today unlike yesterday toward a tomorrow unlike toda...

This poem portrays the process by which the world becomes captivated and ultimately consumed by a single  “ man, ”  who serves as a symbol of destructive power. Acting as a strong leader, he spreads falsehoods, self-righteousness, discrimination, and hostility. The world follows, fears, and eventually falls silent before him. Democracy itself is undermined, and society descends into confusion and violence. The poem warns of the dangers of blind obedience to power and how indifference and passivity can turn a nightmare into reality.   “ The Nightmare Returns ”   The world was shaken— the rules were the man himself.   The world followed— a man who even used his enemies.   The world approved— a man who played the role of a strong leader.   He permeated the world— it was the man who spread falsehoods.   The world feared him— a man who flaunted his self-righteousness.   The world fell silent— it was the eloquent man who conquered.   The world...

This poem,  “ On Continuing to Learn, ”  reflects on the value of sustaining a learning mindset while wavering between what can and cannot be known. It expresses, in both introspective and powerful language, how learning nurtures the self, connects us with others, and drives personal transformation.     On Continuing to Learn One must not remain ignorant, yet it is impossible to know everything. Still, I want to keep the desire to learn.   No matter how much I struggle, there are things I cannot know. Yet I cannot extinguish the wish to understand. At least, I want to keep the humility to learn.   To continue learning— a learning heart nurtures me, the will to learn strengthens me, what I learn protects me, opportunities to learn cultivate me.   To continue learning together— encounters through learning enrich me, shared knowledge inspires me, companions in learning guide me toward conviction.   To continue learning further— with each lesson, I br...

This poem sharply questions how “ indifference ” and “ apathy ” can erode social order and create fertile ground for the abuse of power. As suggested by the opening quotation, these human tendencies allow evil to take root and grow. The poem urges us not to turn away from reality, but to think critically, make informed judgments, and raise our voices. It is a warning that calls upon each individual to take responsibility as an active guardian of democracy.     “ Questioning Indifference and Apathy ”   “ Indifference is the root of disorder. Human apathy is the fertile soil in which evil takes root and grows. ” —from The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown   If we remain indifferent, we fall into the hands of those in power. We must keep watchful eyes upon them. We must not agree so easily. We must not obey so lightly. We must guard ourselves against subjugation.   If we are apathetic, we play into their designs. We must not turn away from ...

This poem is a powerful call to young people to listen to their inner voice and live with passion as they carve out their own path. It urges them not to be swayed by social pressure or deception, but to confront themselves honestly and transform even their struggles into driving passion. Passion, it suggests, endures only through effort and belief in oneself. To live a life consumed by such burning passion is presented as something deeply meaningful and worthy.   “ Burn Yourself in Boiling Passion ”   Young ones, do not remain silent. Listen to the voice rising from the depths of your heart.   Young ones, do not deceive. Listen to the voice surging from the depths of your soul.   Young ones, seek what must be done. Listen to the voice emerging from the darkness within.   Young ones, do not be swept away by conformity. Stir the passion that resists and fights.   Young ones, seek the self you are meant to be. Embrace ...

This poem is a call to “ awaken, ” born from a deep sense of crisis toward the repetition of war, violence, and the societies that allow them to persist. It sharply questions human tendencies toward indifference, blind obedience, and susceptibility to deception, urging us not to turn away from reality but to raise our voices. Anger and resistance, it suggests, do not fade—they are the very forces that drive us to confront injustice. Rejecting naïve hopes for easy peace, the poem calls for awakening so that the mistakes of history are never repeated.   “ Awaken ”   Awaken. How much suffering must there be before you say no? How many vile acts must you face before you rise against them? How many innocent lives must be offered before you raise your fist and say no?   Awaken. True anger does not cool. True hatred does not vanish. True resistance does not weaken.   Awaken. Do not leave madness unchecked. Do not condone brutality that...

This poem sharply portrays a person who uses cunning cleverness as a tool to manipulate, belittle, and exploit others for personal gain. Though skilled with words, such a person is revealed to be hollow within, relying on authority and status to sustain themselves. By exposing the inferiority and immaturity hidden beneath superficial intelligence and strategy, the poem confronts the very nature of such a way of being.   “ To the Petty-Clever You ”   Where does your petty cleverness come from? With clever words, you ingratiate yourself with others. With clever words, you dig into them. With clever words, you draw them in. Is it simply to follow the powerful? You, ever calculating.   Where does your petty cleverness reside? You use words as weapons to bring others down. You use words as weapons to scorn others. You use words as weapons to slander others. Is it to crush your enemies completely? You, driven by gain.   What kind of thin...

This poem reflects on the “ thorns in the heart ” that no one can escape in the course of life. Regret, failure, betrayal, envy, and hatred—these remain embedded as enduring pain within us. Yet these “ thorns ” are not merely sources of suffering; they also serve as inner measures that continually question how we live and what we believe to be right or wrong. Carrying a pain that cannot be removed, the poem quietly asks whether living with as little regret as possible might itself become a form of atonement.   “ Thorns in the Heart ”   Everyone carries thorns in the heart. Unspoken regret becomes a thorn. Unforgettable failures become thorns. Betrayal of oneself becomes a thorn.   Everyone suffers from the thorns in the heart. Envy toward others becomes a thorn. Hatred toward others becomes a thorn. What we have done to others becomes a thorn.   No one can pull out the thorns in the heart. The embedded thorn is regret that cannot be fo...