this injury
lets me take a break
from swimming lessons
fireflies
seated
demolition workers
I take a look
behind the crematorium
ladybugs
because of the rain
my true intentions
are not revealed
coffee
mixed only with
amaryllis
spending all day
with the goldfish
thin dust
the palm of my hand
I leave open
for the fireflies
summer moon
from somewhere
the screech of fish
水泳の授業を休むための傷
夏蝶や坐る解体作業員
火葬場の裏見てきたる天道虫
夕立のせいで本音が出てこない
珈琲に付き合うだけのアマリリス
終日を金魚と過ごす薄埃
てのひらを蛍のためにあけておく
夏の月どこかで魚の軋む音
NOTES: Poems originally published in the Japanese literary anthology Musica, vol. 2 (January 2015).
夏蝶, literally “summer butterfly,” seems to be a name that is pronounced “Hotaru,” which is the word for “firefly” (usually written 蛍). I am not sure how Miki meant this to be translated, but I decided to go with “fireflies” because of the pronunciation. It could also be translated: “Hotaru / seated / demolition worker” or, perhaps, “summer butterflies / seated / demolition workers.” My guess is that “hotaru” means “fireflies” in this case, indicating the summer (being the seasonal word, or 季語, in the haiku).
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