Tanka..The Nighthawk Star よだかの星

導かれ あはれ よだかや 高く飛び 燃え輝(て)る星に成るべきに成る

led by ...

a piteous Nighthawk 

soaring and firing 

finally to be a shining star

... what it should be

※この歌は宮沢賢治の「よだかの星」をもとに詠みました。

写真は宮沢賢治記念館前で撮りました。

The photos were taken at Kenji Miyazawa Memorial Hall.

I composed this tanka based on  "The Nighthawk Star" written by Kenji Miyazawa.

©2018Rika Inami稲美 里佳

「よだかの星」あらすじ　Wikipedia より

よだかは、美しいはちすずめやかわせみの兄でありながら、容姿が醜く不格好なゆえに鳥の仲間から嫌われ、鷹からも「たか」の名前を使うな「市蔵」にせよと改名を強要され、故郷を捨てる。自分が生きるためにたくさんの虫の命を食べるために奪っていることを嫌悪して、彼はついに生きることに絶望し、太陽へ向かって飛びながら、焼け死んでもいいからあなたの所へ行かせて下さいと願う。太陽に、お前は夜の鳥だから星に頼んでごらんと言われて、星々にその願いを叶えてもらおうとするが、相手にされない。居場所を失い、命をかけて夜空を飛び続けたよだかは、いつしか青白く燃え上がる「よだかの星」となり、今でも夜空で燃える存在となる。

"The Nighthawk Star" 's plot summery from Wikipedia

The Nighthawk, which is a nightjar, is bullied and teased by the other birds for his appearance. He is described as an “ugly bird” with an evenly dotted face and legs so weak he can barely walk. Even a lark who is not that beautiful thinks himself to be more superior to the Nighthawk. However, when it comes to the real Hawk, none of the other birds dare to insult him.

The Hawk knows and dislikes the fact Nighthawk has “hawk” in his name. He always threatens him and one night he confronts Nighthawk at his home demanding that he change his name. Hawk even recommends changing it to “ICHIZO” which he thinks is not that bad. However Nighthawk does not wish to because it is a name given to him by God. It is the one thing he values the most: his identity. Hawk leaves and states that if he does not place a tag around his neck with “ICHIZO” and inform all the birds of his new name he will kill him.

Nighthawk sadly contemplates why all the birds dislike him so much – all just because of his appearance. He flies out to the clouds where some insects fly into his mouth awkwardly and realizes that he too, is killing them just as the hawk plans to kill him. He thinks he should starve, stop killing insects and decides to fly far away. He bids farewell to his younger brother, the Kingfisher and asks him to convey his best wishes to their sister the Hummingbird. Nighthawk returns to his home crying.

The next day he flies to the Sun asking to take him even if his body is burned but the Sun replies that since he is a night bird it will be better to ask the stars during the evening. As Nightfall hits, Nighthawk flies to the skies and asks the star of the West, Orion, to take him but his request is completely ignored. Nighthawk flies staggering down but regains momentum and flies back to the sky. Next he asks the star of the South, the Great Dog. However his request is mocked and rejected as well. Again he falls to the ground but flies back up. This time he asks the star of the North, the Great Bear. The Great Bear replies that his request is non-sense and that he should cool off. Disappointed, nighthawk flies down but recovers and asks the star of the East, the Hawk to take him. Hawk calls his request absurd and replies that you need status and money to become a star.

With no more energy left Nighthawk plummets to the ground but just one foot before reaching it, he skyrockets towards the sky. Midway through he croaks like the hawk, “kishi, kishi, kishi….”. Soon his body becomes cold, his breath frozen and the air extremely thin. He does not know if he is falling or flying but he is in a peaceful state of mind. After sometime, Nighthawk opens his eyes and sees that he is glowing blue beside the star, Cassiopeia. Now nighthawk’s star glows on forever, even to this day.

*****

Essence of night

smelling life

who can see

only the eye

between shadow and light

©Miriam Strauss

*****

導かれ その夜賢治と よだかとが
燃え輝る星に 成るべきに成る

©豊田隆志

*****

よだかにはいわれも無くて疎外され星に成らんと陽にも焼かれぬ

©Ryuuji Suwa


*****

 bruises and burns
finishing in twinkling shine
starlet newborn

©Ashoka Weerakkody


*****

when a tear falls
it goes
to earth
to make
things grow
new life from our tears

©jim my

every day is different
just depends as how we greet it
with a smile or a frown
I sometimes halfway
between end after debating
will rather Smile than frown

©jim my