An Inventive Wordsmith, May He Rest in Peace

Japan's leading #poet Shuntaro Tanikawa （#谷川俊太郎 ）passed away at the age of 92 last week. He also #translated the “Peanuts” comic strip and children's books including “Swimmy”(スイミー) and “Color of His Own"（じぶんだけのいろ) by Leo Lionni.

Upon hearing the news last night, I thumbed through his poetry book, “ICHINENSEI (いちねんせい)“ written for first graders. There, his verses are all in #hiragana and full of witty #onomatopoes and ingenuous rhythms.

Among others, one piece caught up my eyes, which I would like to share with my japanophile community here:

🌈にじ
（中略）
わたしは　いきをとめる
なのに ときはすぎてゆく
わたしは じっとうごかない
なのに ちきゅうはまわっている

わたしが いなくなっても
もうひとりのこが あそんでる
わたしが いなくなっても
きっと そらににじがたつ

出典：『いちねんせい』　谷川俊太郎・詩　和田誠・絵　（小学館）
Source: "Ichinensei" published by Shogakukan, @S. Tanikawa. M. Wada 1988

For sure, he is gone. Yet, his playful soul (もうひとりのこ) is and will always be with us for his words are widely read and cherished by children and adults alike in Japan.

Has the poet reached a rainbow's end?

#japanische #literatur #japanese #literature #日本文学  #ShuntaroTanikawa