Γράφει η Eva Petropoulou Lianou
One thousand frogs
Today I saw one thousand frogs
They came nearby me
I’m falling in my sorrow.
They were sure
that you would come.
Divine journey.
They are all sad.
Yes, all one thousand of them
dressed in mourning.
They were happy
to baptize you with love,
to give you the song.
No! I don’t cry
But if not, is it their croaking
that makes me blue?
My sweet frog,
my rose petal,
—am I already dead?
This is life.
But your charm reminds me
of my promise.
Fate sometimes
swallows darkness, too
and rejects it.
Japan is far away,
but your scent lives
even in my eyes.
It will be autumn
when we can meet together.
The thousand frogs are all calling to you, to you!
Oneness
Not in a heart, reason, and egoism, but where I am you and also you are me.
I live with you in this happiness.
Not in the sky, earth, and a rolling stone, but where I am you and also you are me.
I live with you in this happiness.
Not life and death, status, and parents,
but where I am you and also you are me.
I live with you in this happiness.
September Garden
A simple thing—
Taking it slowly,
I’ll make my garden in my body.
There, your rose will bloom.
I am in each petal—
The radiance of your rose is also within me.
You Are Mangoes
From the morning market,
As the awakening sun shines in, I whisper:
Good! Good! Good!
You are mangoes.
I take one and say goodbye; I will eat you
And say in my heart:
Good! Good! Good!
No matter where I go,
I can’t get you out of my head,
And whisper in silence:
Good! Good! Good!
Tracing the threads of memories,
I murmur in a dream:
Good! Good! Good!
Every night in peaceful sleep
I cry, Joy! Joy! Joy!
That joy turns into a humming,
It becomes a melody—
Joy! Joy! Joy!
Waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping,
Meditating, dreaming,
My soul constantly rejoices:
Joy! Joy! Joy!
You are mangoes!
My bio
Maki Starfield, a poet, a translator and a painter, born in Ehime, 1972. She earned her Master of Arts from Sophia University, getting the diploma of International business management and the certificate of TESOL in Canada. She is a representative in Japan of Immagine Poesia, a member of Japan Universal Poets Association, and Japanese haiku associates.
Award:
Guido Gozzano Prize (Honorable Mention) 2018,2019
Naji Naaman Literary Prize (Creativity) 2020
PushCart prize nomination 2020
