of a famous poem by a contemporary of Santoka,
Kaneko Mitsuharo (1895-1975)
OPPOSITION
When I was young
I resisted school,
and now
I resist employment.
I resisted school,
and now
I resist employment.
What I most hate
are property and hygiene.
There's nothing so inhuman
as law-abiding cleanliness.
are property and hygiene.
There's nothing so inhuman
as law-abiding cleanliness.
Naturally, I contradict The Spirit of our Nation.
Duty and Social Function make me vomit.
I'm against all governments everywhere
and wave my smelly cock
at the cosy cartels of
Accepted Writers.
Duty and Social Function make me vomit.
I'm against all governments everywhere
and wave my smelly cock
at the cosy cartels of
Accepted Writers.
When I'm asked what my Purpose In Life is,
I answer: To oppose.
When I'm facing Eastwards
I go Westward.
I answer: To oppose.
When I'm facing Eastwards
I go Westward.
I do up my coat and shoes the wrong way round.
I wear my trousers back to front,
and likewise ride a horse.
I wear my trousers back to front,
and likewise ride a horse.
What everyone else hates I like.
My greatest hate of all is
consensus, unanimity, received opinion.
My greatest hate of all is
consensus, unanimity, received opinion.
So I believe that to oppose
is the only splendid thing in life.
To oppose is REALLY to live.
To oppose is to connect deeply
with the spirit within.
is the only splendid thing in life.
To oppose is REALLY to live.
To oppose is to connect deeply
with the spirit within.
4 comments:
Bravo!
- written in the 1930s if I remember aright. Such a poem would probably never have been published in the self-styled anglo-saxon Cradle of Free Speech…
Excellent translation. Agains the herd and the masses. Raúl
Yep.
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