谷川俊太郎『二十億光年の孤独』:Two Billion Light-Years of Solitude



[...]念のためにいうが、私は決してけちな自己表現のために、言葉を探すのではない。人々との唯一のつながりの途として言葉を探すのである。-谷川俊太郎『二十億光年の孤独』p.142

translated;

To be sure, I look for words not for a petty motive like my self-expression, but as the only way to keep myself stay connected with others.

Japan's contemporary poet, Shuntaro Tanigawa's debut poet collection first published in June 1952 is now available in Kinokuniya bookstore near you. It contains his poets composed from Winter 1949 through Spring 1951, and 80 pages of English translations by William I. Elliot and Kazuo Kawamura.

Born as an only child of philosopher, he grew up in the dark age of post-WW2 Japan and opened the door to new era. From the most well-known poem that carries the same title as the book title;

Universal gravitation is the power of solitudes
pulling each other.

Because the universe is distorted,
we all seek for one another.

Because the universe goes on expanding,
we are all uneasy.

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