Poetry Reading By Genqui Numata Lyrics - Pizzicato Five

(to a person descending a staircase) 

Translator: Rie Iizuka 

keitaro: eto kyô wa 

itsumo boku-tachi 

guest ga 

irun desukedomo, kyô mo, e... 

subarashii guest wo o-mukae 

shite orimasu. 

e... geijutsu-ka no kata desu. 

saki hodo utsutteta utsukushii 

kono e toka mo kare no 

sakuhin nan desu ga 

idai naru shijin de ari 

shashin-ka de aru 

numata genki san desu. 

numata: oss! oss! 

numa-gen desu. 

kyô wa ippen no 

shi wo rôdoku sasete 

itadakimasu. 

pizzicato five ni 

sasagemasu. 

kaidan wo kakeoriru hito. 

kaidan wo kakeoriru hito yo 

hitai ni ase wo nijimase 

obiekitte metsuki de 

kaidan no ue wo kage no yô ni 

suberu hito 

haru no chikadô wa hokori no nioi 

namanurui kaze ga fukiagete kuru 

rhythm wo tamotte 

rhythm wo tamotte 

tan tan to kaidan wo 

orite ike 

naname ni taorekakaru building wo 

torinuke 

inu wo kettobashi 

neko wo kettobashi 

kippu uriba made hayaashi da 

itsumo 

itsumo ashi ga oira no mono to wa 

kagiranai 

rhythm wo tamochi 

rhythm wo tamochi 

tamochikirenakunatta toki 

soko ni shintai to 

ashi no motsure atta toki 

soko ni yawaraka na 

rakka ga aru no da 

ashi ga karada wo hanarete 

itte shimau no ka wakaranai 

sore tomo shinzô hossa no 

yô na teishi ga aru no ka wakaranai 

sore wa 

wakaranai 

rhythm wa shidai ni 

hayakunari 

hayakunatta rhythm wa kuchibiru no 

furue to kyômei shihajimeru 

itsumo rakka wa 

shunkan ni yôi sarete iru no da 

ittai ore ra wa 

nan nan da? 

oira wa ittai 

dare nan da? 

kansetu wo kishimase 

mashi wo haizurimawaru 

sakuhin na no ka? 

irotsuke wo shita yô na 

aozora ni 

hibikiwataru koe na no ka? 

kihaku na kûkan de 

rakka no 

sono kasokudo na no ka? 

kiete iku hito kage 

tôzakaru koe 

chikatetsu no koe 

rhythm wo tamotte 

rhythm wo tamotte 

charming ni 

elegant ni 

shitashiki ashi yo 

tooi ashi yo 

saa ensoku ni dekakeyô 

shizuka na toki ga 

sugite yuku 

shizuka ni toshi ga 

akete yuku 

saraba jaa 

------------------------------------------------ 

keitaro: well, today 

as usual we have 

a special guest. 

a wonderful guest 

has agreed to come here today. 

he's an artist. 

the pictures you saw 

on the screen 

before are his. 

please a big applause 

to a great poet 

and a great photographer 

ladies and gentlemen, mr genqui numata. 

numata: hi, y'all. 

my name is genqui numata. 

tonight i will 

read 

a poem. 

i dedicate this poem 

to pizzicato five. 

to a person descending a staircase. 

hey you, who are descending this staircase 

with sweat on your brow 

afraid of going down you let your gaze 

glide down the stairs like a shadow. 

yes, you. 

this underpass in springtime smells of dust 

and a lukewarm breeze blows by. 

keep up your rhythm 

keep up your rhythm 

and climb down those stairs 

as if your life depended on that. 

pass by that leaning building 

kick the dogs away 

kick the cats too 

and go fast to the ticket counter. 

legs 

are sometimes 

independent beings. 

keep up your rhythm 

keep up your rhythm 

and when you can't take it anymore 

when your body 

and your legs have reached their limit 

at that time 

a soft fall will ensue. 

you feel as if 

your legs fell off your body 

or maybe there's a pause 

like a heart attack 

but you don't know what it is. 

you don't 

know. 

you gradually 

gather up speed 

and as you speed up your legs 

and your trembling lips start to resonate. 

the fall comes at the last moment 

and makes it easier. 

and you ask yourself 

who are we? 

who am i 

after al? 

your joints squeak 

am i nothing but 

a crawling work of art? 

am i nothing but 

a voice sounding away 

accross this sky 

so blue it looks like it's been dyed? 

am i nothing but 

the speed of 

this fall through thin air? 

shadow that melts away 

voice that dies away 

voice from the subway 

keep up your rhythm 

keep up your rhythm 

with grace 

with flair 

hey you, legs, 

hey you, my distant legs 

let's go on a stroll 

as the silent time goes by 

the city silently 

opens itself. 

goodbye.