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oboroyo-no kagami oiyuku otoko kana
in the hazy night
a mirror being carried
by a man
—
Shuson Kato (1905-1993). From “Time meanders” (Toki-ga uneru) by Mutsuko Ueda, Furansudo, Tokyo, 2021.
This haiku is from the last years of Shuson’s life. The man in the haiku is undoubtedly Shuson himself, reflecting on his mortality and the undeniable biology that has made him a male human with a finite time on this earth. The word “oiyuku” (carry) has a strong nuance of carrying a burden on one’s shoulders rather than just holding something in one’s hand, and the mirror also symbolizes the man’s appearance to others — how he is reflected in their eyes. The hazy air of this spring night makes everything less easily visible, blurring the scene and adding a layer of uncertainty to everything the eyes can see. While reading this haiku, one cannot help but remember a famous earlier haiku of his: “oboroyo-no katamari-toshite mono omou” (as a coalescence / of the hazy night / I think my thoughts).
Selected, translated and commented on by Dhugal J. Lindsay
Pique your poetic interest with more Haiku in English here.
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