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Osmanthus fragrance: Translations of a short poem
金木犀の香り:吉田典子いの短詩の英訳]

Original Japanese

by Noriko Yoshida


静謐
せいひつな闇の中にて出会いしは木犀モクセイの香り我にやさしき        典子
( 吉田茂氏の書道です。 )

Some Possible
English Translations

by T Newfields


A direct translation:


tranquility
encountering each other in the dark
osmanthus:
that fragrance is gentle to me.


A free-style version:


In the tranquil darkness
I encounter
the fragrance of osmanthus
gently embracing me.


Another possibility:


In serene darkness
I encountered
the fragrance of a blooming osmanthus
whose gentle scent embraced me.