Shuntaro Tanikawa Poems

Mother,
Why is the river laughing?
Why, because the sun is tickling the river
...

One day somewhere
someone played the piano.
...

Human beings on this small orb
sleep, waken and work, and sometimes
wish for friends on Mars.
...

I won't let words rest.
At times they feel ashamed of themselves
...

Sound becoming sound
had begun to infest the blank white paper,
...

'Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles and warm woollem mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with strings -
...

This thing lying on the desk is now being seen by my eyes. I could
pick it up at this moment. I could cut out a human figure with it. I might
even cut off all my hair. Though it's understood that murder is out of
...

Plump and snug and feathery,
a ball of yarn
rolls gaily down the street
...

As of yesterday I am a squash
and no longer think at all.
I grow gradually fatter
...

Kachoo!
Ur-rufff
P-uuuuuu
Can't help having a body.
...