In the same inn
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Prostitutes（遊女）, too, staying –
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　bush clover and moon
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Basho（Okunohosomichi）

The wandering blind women singers
left behind their songs,
songs that encircle our visible world.

In Takada（高田） in Joetsu（上越） near the Japan Sea
the trees climbed all at once by visionary children
the dark beyond the told legends
colder than chilled sak?—the human chests …

Out of luck, it’s raining,
but you can hear screams
from after the songs.

1’ve never been in this town before
but I feel at home already.
When I imagine how thousands
of pale faces must belying asleep,
you bear visionary children.

　　　　　　”Dark country?
　　　　　　It’s right here, the north country.
　　　　　　A dark night you have to go through.”

You move
down my belly
like words.

　　　　　　”This is a winter town.
　　　　　　Ha-ha, I sell my spring body
　　　　　　and your mara,
　　　　　　your prick’s bent, Karl（curled）Marx!”

You play the way words do,
the way words …
But what are my words?
Now, my words, where are they?

Hearing the blind women’s frank songs,
a moment’s sensual vision.

（Translated by Christopher Drake. 1990. Pornographic poem—porno means prostitutes. 瞽女唄のチャリに応えて。「まだいろんなことができるでしょ」に励まされながら。）