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子宮内生命尊重の俳句・短歌 (Haiku and Tanka Respecting In-Utero Life)

By Stephanie Midori Komashin

2nd Place, Poetry, Create | Encounter 2021


Poems will be written in the Japanese hiragana first, then Japanese rōmaji, then the English translation. Haiku syllables are 5, 7, 5 and tanka syllables are 5, 7, 5, 7, 7 in the Japanese.


 

子宮の子

細胞分裂

えらいよね


Shikyuu no ko,

saiboubunretsu

erai yo ne.


Child in child’s palace,*

your cell division

so impressively capable!


* The Japanese word for “uterus” [子宮] literally means “child’s palace” [子+宮].


 

胸キュン!

御利巧ちゃんの

心音だ


Munekyun!

O-rikou-chan no

shinoto da!


My chest tightens (from emotion)!

It’s the sound of the heartbeat

of my well-behaved, clever little one!


 

To children separated by miscarriage:


お付き合い

短時間でも

ありがとう