Woman Poem by Hiroshi Satow

Where have you come from?
In a feeble fashion
You've come to me.

Where have you come from?
Into my arms
You've come, you've lain,
And you've fallen asleep.




Translation of a poem by Soji Momota. Soji Momota (1893-1955) is a Japanese poet and children's writer. As a poet, he mainly stood for the people at first like Walt Whitman, then he began to put more emphasis on self-introspection, and at last, in his later life, liked to write haiku-like poems, enjoying quietness and loneliness. This poem above, written early in his career, is known as among the best love poems in Japanese modern poetry. The original title is 'From which country.'