Yononaka wo
Ushi to yasashi to
Omo(h)e domo
Tobitachi kanetsu
Tori ni shi arane ba
Toshi kurenu
kumo kite kemuri
Hakinagara
Yo no naka o
nani-ni tatoemu
asabiraki
kogiinishi fune no
ato naki gotoshi
ENGLISH:
Smoke and Clouds
I feel the life is
sorrowful and unbearable
though
I can't flee away
since I am not a bird
Another year is gone;
and I still wear
clouds and smoke.
Living in this world -
to what shall I compare it?
It's like a boat
rowing out at break of day,
leaving no trace behind.