Maszo Tomita
Chichibu is tough : Haiku experience story
Chichibu is tough english.pdf 1 2017/07/24 17:08
Published by 22nd CENTURY ART 2017
Copyright © 22nd CENTURY ART 2017
Translation copyright © 22nd CENTURY ART 2017
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade
or othewise , be lest, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the
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which it is published and without a similar condition including this
condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser
First published with the title
Chichibu is tough : Haiku experience story
eBook in 2016 22nd CENTURY ART Co.,Ltd, Tokyo
First published in Japan in 2017 by
22nd CENTURY ART
4-48-8, Kugayama, Suginami
Tokyo, Japan 168-0082
Addresses for companies within 22nd CENTURY ART
can be found at : www.22art.net
Please contact : [email protected]
ISBN : 978-4-909322-01-2
Chichibu is tough english.pdf 2 2017/07/24 17:08
Mauszo Tomita
Born on July 4th 1951 in Oota, Chichibu, Saitama prefecture.
Worked as a farmer, then entered a municipal office and retire in the end
of March 2012.
Studied Japanese poetry for twenty one year by himself.
His masterpieces were a part of exhibit ion at Sankei newspaper cover
gallery.
"Art world" posted. Awarded the Japanese literary award.
Chichibu is tough english.pdf 3 2017/07/24 17:08
CONTENTS
Author profile
About
“Chichibu is tough : Haiku experience story”
New Year
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
ABOUT THIS BOOK
I was born in a farmer’s family, so I was doing agriculture for a long
time, but then I entered a position at local municipal government. In
the end of March 2012 I retired. That time I made a book of poems,
devoted to four seasons.
A way that brought me to poetry was long - I used to listen to
classic music as I heard that it was good for right part of the brain,
and bought a lot of CD’s, and once in a book shop I saw a book -
“Poetry for the right part of the brain” - I was very interested, and for
writing myself I bought sketch books, books for poetry beginners etc.
- that was twenty one years ago.
Before that, I didn’t even see poems usually published in the
newspapers, and my life never ever connected me to the thing
called “poem”. So I studied poetry by myself for twenty one years,
putting seasonal feelings and sceneries I experienced in my life in
“five-seven-five” lines - I did my best to express all my feelings there.
I always thought that to get better you have to write regularly, so I
put my poems to newspapers and magazines, and sent it to poetry
communities, making words “strength in regularity” my motto, but I
was never interested in
becoming a teacher. That is why I was never tied up to a “form” or
“tradition”, and extracted my feeling inspiration to “seventeen”
syllables. This book is a collection of my feelings.
I want to thank everybody who helped me to bring this poems to
publishing through years of work.
July 2015 Masuzo Tomita
N E W Y E A R
I’m writing a postcard
to a noodle shop in a neighborhood,
sell ing deliciousness
I huge cloud
in a clear sky reminds of
spring coming
A morning to change
sakaki tree from last year’s
to this year’s one
Grease up
from last year
to this one
Pouring each other
sake at New Year’s party
- it never ends
Farmer’s stories
go from one generation
to another
Saw adonis growing
in the mountains
while walking with a dog
Felt the last
rain of the year
while cleaning our garden
Bright spring is
absolutely going
to come soon
Evening
comes
to Oshira shrine
S P R I N G
Warmth of spring, waiting for the winter to pass
by brings me joy I can’t evaluate
A season when heart comes cheerful and smile
appears… It releases my heart
Unique poems overwhelming wi th fresh feel ings
come from deep impressions of everyday l ife
This are the poems of Masuzo Tomita
Night plums
cat’s eyes are
sparkling
Stone is bored
under the
blooming plum
Sound of bird
flying in the mountains
and plum flowers
Shall I put a little sugar
in my coffee and go
to see the plum blooming?
Red plum flowers
my wish
and straw sandals
Chestnut trees
are cuddled
by the north spring wind
Gales are
muses for
forests
Peach flowers
open their petals
l ike in legends
Planting seeds of
black rice
on Terasawa fields
Two buildings
are seen decides
the violet flowers
Bracken
appearing around
the garden
I brought
one flower of filed
mustard home
Tomorrow I’m going
to put on my long boots again
to go through this spring dirt
They are safe
in northern spring wind
I tie the laces
River overflown
after snowmelt is getting back
and calm down
Sound of spring wind
is changing
and dog barks
Harmony bell
flowing from
inside the car
Taking
a piece of
sweet chocolate
Northern spring wind
I correct the angle of
a side mirror
Strong spring wind
I re-attach
the side mirror
So warm
I polish
she side mirror
A letter for
the car check comes
so early in spring
I prepare
my tax documents
and warm some water
Fireplug
covering grass coming
out of snow
Mountain sakura
does its best to make
the road beautiful
I go to muse park
to see sakura
with my folding fan
People come here
and flowers are
never tired to bloom
A child playing with a dog
he doesn’t know
a name for
Everything is green
strawberry shop is about
to sell all its strawberries
Everything is green
friends are visiting
their friends in the hospital
Brach of
oak tree is fallen
in warm water
Feels l ike spring
a small metal bell
on the door
Tired of looking on trees
four are getting
on the same car
I found a garden
to be alone
in this community life
Morning sun
getting through the wheats
beating the fields
Old street
Old school bike
Cold sakura
Heavy scope
is digging soil
in a spring dirt
Wheats are getting green
my eyes seem
see more clear
I borrow
an electric mortar
to make rice cakes
Hey April!
Why do you pass
so fast?
Tulips’ color
is so
adorable
Everything is green
a cat following
a rabbit
Tulips are
getting their
adorable color
Boiling noodles
for a rich dinner
outside
I turn over
and see tulips standing
as beautiful ladies
I read my mails
hundred thousands
of birds
Yellow tulips
in red basket
I follow a tweet
to come to a forest
for a rest
Peony flowers
getting out
to the sound of audio
Waiting in the wind
for a bus being
late five minutes
So foggy
shall I go for a golf among
Buko mountains?
Summer is coming
high boots
finish fast
My daughter in sweat pants
is whipping glass door
I see the tulips besides it
Umbrellas
go across each other
it’s spring storm
We laugh
on our way down a smooth slope
in the mountains
Snow
melting liquid
flows down the hill
S U M M E R
Summer g ives us sun energy to l i ve
Lov ing l i fe energet ica l ly , no t loos ing to the summer heat , wr i t ing
poems wi th a f ree fee l ing
Somet imes fu l l o f v i ta l i ty , somet imes fu l l o f fee l ing - poems are
touch ing people’s sens i t i v i ty
I fee l l i ke they br ing f reshness to my l i fe
A little early
call for
Mother’s day
Father’s day
small rabbits running
in the fields
Summer swallow
flying around
side mirror
First hike
in the mountains
chilling wind
A path
to a shrine Growing trees
Summer lights
Repair works
on a wood bridge
on a sunny day
Driver is hiding his eyes
behind sunglasses
from the dust
A shining
green sound
of new mail coming
Getting on a tractor
waiting for a nice day
in rainy season
For some reason
There is a well
Exorcism of the summer
Long
planting days
on fields
Putting on a helmet
work is waiting
on Mountain Fuji in May
Green plum trees
and
heavy machines
Change phone
going up
on summer road
Writing memos
on the map Leafs
of persimmon so thin
Mail coming
while I’m at
the wheat field
Reading
long mail
on an early summer
Cameraman coming
in seeing our fence
in flowers
Sunflowers
and a song written
in Man’yo style
Summer vacation
and a carpenter going back
with a bottle
Fresh eggs are sold
from a farm
in the morning
There are fields
where you can make snails
and beef barbecue
Machines are running
through the fields
and soon the slant work is over
End of summer
Bars are full
of people
Rainy season storm
A child sleeping
on his back
It’s so rare
to see
a ladybug
Summer swallow
turning
on a guardrail
Summer rain falls
on the tough stones
of the cemetery
This soap is good for my skin
I will use it
for my hair too
Midsummer
I want to write a poem
about the temple
A brach
of tree over
the police tower
Butterflies
they have different color
every time I see them
A fawn entering
water overflown close
to the dam
Walking around
the house looking
for snail shells
Blue storm
a cheerful sound
of a flute gets closer
So happy
with eggplants tomatoes cucumbers
and bitter melon
My garage is a hell for ants
they all are smashed
under the wheels
Morning
cloud I hear well
pomp breathing
Cicadas
crying behind
the close gates
Amaryllis
greeting
at the entrance
Rainbow rising
A big shadow In the sky over
the cemetery
Electricity station
confused
with the rains
Morning cloud Ringing
a small bell
on my keys
Sandbag at the entrance
keeps the water flow
on rainy season
A size
of a branch holding
rape eggplant
An simple emblem
of a water service company
in the corner
Blue walnut
deep green
I poor some tea
My daughter opens her umbrella
and says today
she’s in umbrella mood
I leave my car
every day
by the persimmon flowers
Chilly summer
Preparing
spice curry
Mountain flow
turns it back
to me
Wish papers
tied to trees
and green grapes
Mountains
take off
a bamboo color
Morning radio
informs
of morning clouds
I get a taxi
cicadas crying
in the rain
Kajikabue
kinder garden bus
coming back
A child
writing poems
about blooming
Persimmon flowers
open
to Bach’s melody
Wind smells good
A roof over
an open-air stage
End of July
Checking the level
of water in dam
Blue sky pattern
on the inside of my umbrella
I turn it around
Bread in bakeries
in midsummer
is so good
Putting paulownia
every time
making salad
Flowers in water
Loud melody
A drop of water
Fawn
climbing
a foggy rock
Put some
soy sauce
on a fresh ginger
Cactuses
grow strongly
on the roof
Strong rain
comes to check the quality
of school garden
Blinking light
is following
sunflower
Endless voice
of chicken
Wheat autumn
Field flowers
looking good
in vase Wheat autumn
Have to work
much in this rain
It’s wheat autumn
A U T U M N
Autumn for ar t , au tumn for cook ing, au tumn for spor t s , au tumn
for reading… Th is season i s fun whatever you do
Hear t fu lfi l l s jus t walk ing around… Fru i t fu l au tumn
Looking not th rough eyes bu t th rough hear t , express ing fee l ings
f rom ins ide, exper ienced personal ly
My ches t i s overwhelming wi th l igh t fee l ing of Tomi ta’s poems
rhy thm, br ing ing joy of au tumn coming
End of the year
is proud to present a jungle
of red leafs of ivy
A parrot coming
to drink
some hot water
Winter
is close
to these big flows
A smell of Yuzu
besides
the map
Shallows with warm water
around mountain paths
with potato fields
Flowers
plant
in rows
Ceramic market
is full
of people now
Jumbo pumpkins
evaluating community
in farmers market
Buddhist priest’s
services
are getting essential
More children
are born
in the villages
Chicken knocking door
with its nose
and run away
Fireworks
reaching the sky
Listen to the sounds
looking at
the milky way
Remembering
the victims
of the earthquake
In all these years
floor color turned
to color of red lily
Red dragonflies
are flying
all around
A port
with beautiful
clear blue water
No smoking
at the parking
cosmos flowers all around
Autumn rain falling
to the roof is the same tempo
with waltz
I got a pine tree
now I’ll use
the elderly glasses
Chain saw
dropping
fruits down
Chestnut rice cake
sold
in the market
Melon growing
by itself
without any care
Everything is sold in miso market
A small cloud flatters
in the sky
A season
heavily gets
to its coldest part
Rice work
and water work
come together
Autumn
of
harley-davidson sound
Clear blue sky
A set menu
in soba shop
Tractor
getting faster
as a dragonfly
Autumn rain
heavily beats
my umbrella
I’m changing
the angle
of our antenna
I planned
to cut
the bamboo
Making reservation
to capture film
on Chichibu TV
It’s cold
but I move
to a radio gymnastics program
It’s easy for a fly
to sleep
on black cow
Red peppers
hanging on the wall
are so beautiful
Starry night
vegetables are dried to be prepared
for a marinade
Loud sounds
from the Wheat flower
kinder garden
Scarecrow weaving
in the wind after finishing
its job
A cow and a chicken
were separated
with their parents
Cosmos flowers
at the edge
of the field
Blooming soba
some onions
is soup
Wild chrysanthemum
weaving It’s leafs are melting
in mud
Thirteen days
in a car
going shopping
Insects left
are lights blinking
at the reconstruction place
Blooming flowerbeds
are gathered
by the corners
I stop my car
to look
at paulownia flowers
A princess
of a wild country has
her late dinner
Cutlets so warm
in canteen Red lil ies
outside
I want to know
by blood pressure looking
at beautiful flowers
An old man tells me
where yellow flowers used
to grow in old times
Small cloud float
over a rice cake shop
everything is sold
I used to go
to pick up mushrooms
on this car
Yuzu
smell Receive
my blowing kiss
Warm autumn days
are the best
for autumn
Writing small details
to my map book on a starry night
drinking coffee
Small white cloud
You go out to buy milk
for children
Parrots
flying
energetically
I want to celebrate
my homeland
in this clear blue sky day
I divide my breakfast
into two parts
and leave a half
Red hibiscus
hiding
in a new house
Autumn eggplant
betting bigger
Showing
its face getting
from between the mountains
Roads
and drying persimmons g
et tougher under the rain
Chrysanthemum flower exhibition
is close
with its enjoyable smells
Red leafs
are getting brighter
with their make-up on
Slight smile
of a chrysanthemum
doll
The whole Earth
is celebrating
autumn
A dog
with chestnuts
on its collar
I know
it’s a day
of ancient culture
Pray songs
to the sky are finished
at the cemetery
My heart
is warm
on this cold autumn
Fireworks
look like
yellow flowers
W I N T E R
Winter makes us spend more t ime ins ide, and we lose a chance
to see touch ing un ique win ter everyday scener ies - they are pu t
in poems
I t ’ s an a t t rac t ion of th i s season - to have a s i len t t ime a lone
You can fee l how he en joyed tough win ter f rom h is humorous
express ions
A taste of childhood
biscuits
in the middle of winter
Drops of l ight
winter days
are getting longer
Sound of wind
and
cracking biscuit
Stars shining
on the road chosen
by car navigation
Road bringing me
closer to you
on Christmas
Strong fog
Getting even stronger
In morning light
Night festival
in Chichibu Sounds
on roofs
Delicious dinner
in the middle
of winter
Spring when I call
the name of a nurse
is getting closer
A day of cleaning
in the hospital
and winter eggs
Reaching my hand
to a medicine drink
I saw
I drink water
we gathered so much
from winter rains
Paraglider lands
on a field
of fallen leafs
Waiting for a shrine
to open on a morning
with no moon
A famous
in winter
soba shop
Face melting
in smile seeing
a candy
Cleaning waterfall
in early winter
Putting my high boots on
Moss green
on heavy stone
in cold forest
Winter wind whistling
through a bamboo fence
sounds like a helicopter
Cold rain
getting through
my long boots
Spring is close
I cross a wooden bridge
And hear my heels sound
Noodle shop
is closing later
days are getting longer
Snow
changes pampers
for a child
Winter porridges
on winter
celebrations
Hot sake
thank you for this year work
is coming back
I switch
on radio
on foggy morning
A door opens slowly
to let
in heavy luggage
Clear weather
in winter shows off
all the mountains’ bumps
Music temple
of muse park
in winter milky way
Wind whistles
through bamboo on a high bridge
over river Arakawa
I love bicycles
nature and sound of wind whistling
through bamboo
I dig soil
feeling breath
of winter weeds
Wind is screaming
getting down
to the valley
Charcoal
burning resisting
to the cloudy sky
Shining cranes
are coming
bringing their smell
Wind makes
ground slippy like bottom
of the sea
Lullaby
is full of season
related words
White breath
This house was
so rich in old times
Ivy makes
warm socks
for cyprus tree
Tree’s hairstyle
never
changes
Fog
follows trees
and stones
Red winter sunset
Silhouette
of mountain Fuji
Old-fashioned
There also have stamps
Frost pillar
I take some hot water
and some yuzu
to the field
Wind calms
dark water in the lake
of Chichibu
Dam behind
the mountains is looking
for white winter
I put on shoes
I wear
in a foggy weather
I put some bandage
under my hat
in winter
I bought
a chainsaw
when winter came
Lipstick color
is so bright
Winter red leafs
Fallen tree leafs
will be
a great compost
I am
a customer
in hot springs hotel
A table
for reading
crosswords
Ink color
of winter leafs
is getting lighte