art | mugi take
by Yoko Inoue
translated by Mugi Takei
the man has had one large classroom
the man says
it is paradise here
I am the king of peace
the students listening
outside the wall
sky flying missiles
cities being destroyed
people's scream
the students say
it is scary outside
it is paradise in here
the man talks to the students
we are fighting outside
to protect the classroom
and the students
the students must not leave the classroom
it is dangerous
one student looks toward the man
one student leans on the man
one student thanks the man
the man often goes out
of the classroom
to make
more of the missal sound
more of the demolishing sound
more of the scream sound
the man often goes out of the classroom
strolls among the trees in the morning sun
passes through the bird singing woods
over the man's head
butterflies flying
lost in the flower field
white clouds running slowly in the sky
not a sound of war
the man thinks
outside the classroom
it is paradise here
by Yoko Inoue
translated by Alex Jones
Once there was a man who had a large classroom.
He said,
"This is paradise.
And I am the Lord of Peace."
When his students put their ears to the walls,
They heard missiles flying through the air,
Towns and cities being destroyed,
People wailing and screaming,
They said,
"It's frightening outside.
In here must be paradise."
The man told his students,
"Outside the classroom, I fight,
To protect this classroom,
To protect my students,
You must not leave this classroom,
The outside is dangerous."
Some students were looking in the man's direction,
Some students felt they should leave everything up to him,
Some students felt grateful to the man.
Every now and then,
The man would leave the classroom for the outside,
To make anew the sound of missiles,
The sounds of destruction,
And the screaming and wailing voices.
Then he would walk through a glade of trees bathed in sunlight,
And twittering with birds, and upon leaving the glade,
Butterflies would flutter in a canopy of blossoms above his head,
And white clouds would drift lazily across a blue sky,
Where not a single sound,
Of fighting could be heard.
Every time he left the classroom,
The man thought,
"This is paradise"
井上洋子
男はひとつのおおきな教室をもっていた
男は話す
ここは楽園
私は平和の王
生徒たちは壁のむこうに耳をすます
空を飛ぶミサイル
破壊される街
人々の叫び
生徒たちは言う
外は怖い
ここは楽園
男は生徒たちを諭す
私は教室の外で戦っている
教室を守るために
生徒たちを守るために
生徒たちは教室を出てはならない
危険である
ある生徒は男の方を向いている
ある生徒は男にゆだねている
ある生徒は男に感謝する
男はしばしば
教室の外へでかける
あたらしい
ミサイルの音
破壊の音
叫びの声をつくるために
教室をでた男は
朝日をあびた木々のなかを歩く
小鳥たちのさえずる林をぬけると
男の頭上を
一面の花々に迷う蝶たちが舞い
白い雲はゆっくりと青い空をながれる
戦いの音は
なにひとつしない
男は
教室を出るといつも思う
ここは楽園だと