World Haiku Series 2019 (153) Haiku by Quamrul Hassan

World Haiku Series 2019 (153)

Haiku by Quamrul Hassan  

 

spring moon

the sole witness of 

the stolen kiss

 

春の月

唯一の証人

さっとキスをした

 

winter morning 

a slice of the sun 

on my blanket 

 

冬の朝

一枚の太陽

私の毛布の上に

 

her lipstick 

on the baby’s cheek

half moon

 

彼女の口紅

赤ちゃんの頬に

半月

 

north wind —

fisherman struggles 

to light his cigarette 

 

北風

漁師が一所懸命

タバコに火をつけるため

 

condemn cell

through the small window

cherry petals 

 

死刑囚監房

小さな窓から

桜の花びら

 

blood bank 

a hindu embraces 

a muslim

 

血液バンク

ヒンドゥー教がイスラム教徒に喜んで応ずる

 

cricket fever

the ceo talks batting order

with the peon 

 

クリケット熱

セオが打順を語る

ペオンと一緒に

 

his parrot 

still says

‘i love you stella’

 

彼のオウム

まだ言いっている

「ステラ、愛してるよ」と

 

first touch 

helping her 

cross the road  

 

最初の接触

彼女が道路を渡るのを助ける

 

pahela baishakh*

even the grumpy landlord 

greets us

 

* Pahela Baishakh is the first day of the Bengali New Year

 

ベンガルの元日

不機嫌そうな家主でさえ

私たちに挨拶をする

 

— Translated by Hidenori Hiruta

 

Bio:

Quamrul Hassan is a poet, journalist, translator and sportswriter.

An ex-cadet of Faujdarhat Cadet College, he studied at the Department of English, University of Dhaka.

Quamrul is a familiar name in the international haiku scene.

His books Spring Moon (2011) and Hyaku Haiku (2016) have been both popular and critically acclaimed. Spring Moon is the first book of English haiku penned by a Bangladeshi.

Quamrul is the founder of Haiku Society of Bangladesh and his haiku have been published in Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Daily News, World Haiku Review and the celebrated anthology of contemporary haiku ‘Naad Anunaad’.

Presently a Senior Sub-Editor at Bangladesh’s biggest newspaper Prothom Alo, Quamrul is also the founder of Baghinee, a platform dedicated to Bangladeshi sportswomen.