Poetry Reading by Genqui Numata Lyrics

(to a person descending a staircase)

Translator: Rie Iizuka

keitaro: eto kyô wa
itsumo boku-tachi
guest ga
irun desukedomo, kyô mo, e...
subarashii guest wo o-mukae
shite orimasu.
e... geijutsu-ka no kata desu.
saki hodo utsutteta utsukushii
kono e toka mo kare no
sakuhin nan desu ga
idai naru shijin de ari
shashin-ka de aru
numata genki san desu.

numata: oss! oss!
numa-gen desu.
kyô wa ippen no
shi wo rôdoku sasete
itadakimasu.
pizzicato five ni
sasagemasu.
kaidan wo kakeoriru hito.

kaidan wo kakeoriru hito yo
hitai ni ase wo nijimase
obiekitte metsuki de
kaidan no ue wo kage no yô ni
suberu hito
haru no chikadô wa hokori no nioi
namanurui kaze ga fukiagete kuru
rhythm wo tamotte
rhythm wo tamotte
tan tan to kaidan wo
orite ike
naname ni taorekakaru building wo
torinuke
inu wo kettobashi
neko wo kettobashi
kippu uriba made hayaashi da
itsumo
itsumo ashi ga oira no mono to wa
kagiranai
rhythm wo tamochi
rhythm wo tamochi
tamochikirenakunatta toki
soko ni shintai to
ashi no motsure atta toki
soko ni yawaraka na
rakka ga aru no da
ashi ga karada wo hanarete
itte shimau no ka wakaranai
sore tomo shinzô hossa no
yô na teishi ga aru no ka wakaranai

sore wa
wakaranai
rhythm wa shidai ni
hayakunari
hayakunatta rhythm wa kuchibiru no
furue to kyômei shihajimeru
itsumo rakka wa
shunkan ni yôi sarete iru no da
ittai ore ra wa
nan nan da?
oira wa ittai
dare nan da?
kansetu wo kishimase
mashi wo haizurimawaru
sakuhin na no ka?
irotsuke wo shita yô na
aozora ni
hibikiwataru koe na no ka?
kihaku na kûkan de
rakka no
sono kasokudo na no ka?
kiete iku hito kage
tôzakaru koe
chikatetsu no koe
rhythm wo tamotte
rhythm wo tamotte
charming ni
elegant ni
shitashiki ashi yo
tooi ashi yo
saa ensoku ni dekakeyô
shizuka na toki ga
sugite yuku
shizuka ni toshi ga
akete yuku
saraba jaa


------------------------------------------------
keitaro: well, today
as usual we have
a special guest.
a wonderful guest
has agreed to come here today.
he's an artist.
the pictures you saw
on the screen
before are his.
please a big applause
to a great poet
and a great photographer
ladies and gentlemen, mr genqui numata.

numata: hi, y'all.
my name is genqui numata.
tonight i will
read
a poem.
i dedicate this poem
to pizzicato five.
to a person descending a staircase.

hey you, who are descending this staircase
with sweat on your brow
afraid of going down you let your gaze
glide down the stairs like a shadow.
yes, you.
this underpa*s in springtime smells of dust
and a lukewarm breeze blows by.
keep up your rhythm
keep up your rhythm
and climb down those stairs
as if your life depended on that.
pa*s by that leaning building
kick the dogs away
kick the cats too
and go fast to the ticket counter.
legs
are sometimes
independent beings.
keep up your rhythm
keep up your rhythm
and when you can't take it anymore
when your body
and your legs have reached their limit
at that time
a soft fall will ensue.
you feel as if
your legs fell off your body
or maybe there's a pause
like a heart attack
but you don't know what it is.

you don't
know.
you gradually
gather up speed
and as you speed up your legs
and your trembling lips start to resonate.
the fall comes at the last moment
and makes it easier.
and you ask yourself
who are we?
who am i
after al?
your joints squeak
am i nothing but
a crawling work of art?
am i nothing but
a voice sounding away
accross this sky
so blue it looks like it's been dyed?
am i nothing but
the speed of
this fall through thin air?
shadow that melts away
voice that dies away
voice from the subway
keep up your rhythm
keep up your rhythm
with grace
with flair
hey you, legs,
hey you, my distant legs
let's go on a stroll
as the silent time goes by
the city silently
opens itself.
goodbye.

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