Poems from Fukushima, Japan

These poems were written by a high school teacher in Fukushima. After the unclear issue, he started posting his poems on his webpage which became popular among the victims and other Japanese people

あなたは放射能が降ってきたら、どうやって故郷を守りますか。あなた、大切なあなた。あなたは何をしますか。僕はガソリンを売ってもらいたくて、ずっと並んでいる。こんなことしか、出来ない。

How would you protect your hometown from radiation? You whom I hold so dear, what would you do? I have been in line for a long time hoping to buy gasoline…this is all I can do right now.

東北はものみな雪だろうか。南三陸では、全壊の家の周りで祖母の姿を探している家族がいる。祖母の財布のひもを見つけて、それだけで、みなで泣いて、喜んでいる。大事に、持っていこう。泣く。　

Perhaps the whole northeast is blanketed in snow. In southern Sanriku, a family is still searching the area around their ruined home for their grandmother. They find the string of her purse. That alone brings them all to tears and joy.  They treasure it.  They weep.

福島は三月にぼた雪が降る。外を歩く人に何かを尋ねられて、窓を開けて応答する。車内にいたずらに入りこむ。雪。手で 触れてみる。溶ける。恐ろしい。あんなに親しかったのに。雪が入りこむ。ズボンの太ももの上に大粒の雪。溶ける雪。静かな破壊。

In Fukushima, fat, fluffy flakes fall in March. Someone outside speaks to me and I roll down the window to answer.  Snowflakes crowd into the car as if in jest.  The mere touch of my hand melts them.  Terrifying.  We had been so close.  Snow flakes crowd into my car. Fluffy flakes melt on my thigh....silent destruction.

 Translated by Mizuki Takahashi ,Elizabeth Armstrong

 from  Twitter  http://twitter.com/#!/wago2828

Auther Ryoichi Wago