Internment Haiku from “May Sky : There Is Always Tomorrow : An Anthology of Japanese Aerican Concentration Camp Kaiko Haiku.” Compiled, Translated, and Prefaced by Violet Kazue de Cristoforo.
ZANSHO MICHI SHIROSHI RETSUSHI MAMORARETE YUKU NIPPON JIN
Lingering summer heat
Japanese proceeding under guard
on dusty white road
YANEURA ITA TO FUTOI DENSEN TO AKEYASUKI
Between ceiling slats
and thick electric wires
dawn comes through unhindered
TEGAMI O KAKU HI GA ARI ATSUKIHI O ERABU COTOKU
Letter writing day
as if hottest day
had been chosen
MIHARIDAI AOGU KOTONAKU YUKERI NATSUHI DERUMAE
Passed guard tower
without glancing up
before summer daybreak
Categories: Japanese-Americans, Poetry, Venice
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