The Red Bird - Ogawa Mimei

Translator’s Note:  The original text has a poetic layout with line breaks that were preserved in the translation. One line does not always equal one sentence, so lines that form a complete sentence have been grouped together and translated as a single English line.

 

 

    I stood in front of a bird shop and noticed a red bird singing.

 

    I suddenly remembered my older sister.

 

    My older sister lives in a city where steam trains and electric trains run; I really want to be with her; I miss her.

 

    What, it's evening already? The sun is darkening.

 

    A clunky motorized carriage is coming from the village, racing this way while sounding its horn.

 

    I stood in front of a bird shop and noticed a red bird singing.

 

    As I gaze toward the sprawling city, I see black smoke rising into the sky.