bloom
Lyrics: Hasegawa Tadashi
Translation: w_b
I was in the clutches of dizziness when I awoke
From a dream that felt like the oppressive stillness of a damp subway (1)
On the other side of the familiar white ceiling
Rain lamented the cruelty of the sprawling world
The perfume of flowers stifling as I left the square with my black umbrella open
If I could tenderly engrave in my mind
The color of this tiny flower trembling at my feet
Even if I grew tired of climbing this rainy hill
Maybe I could forget the deep sighs I heaved
A blue butterfly cut through my empty gaze
I wonder, can he fly to where the light shines through?
And since even beautiful things will one day turn to ash flitting on the wind as they disappear (2)
With tenderness, I simply must engrave in my mind
The color of this tiny flower that's losing its petals
If only I could tenderly engrave in my mind
The color of this tiny flower trembling at my feet
Because even if I grew tired of climbing this rainy hill
I'd then be able to forget the deep sighs I heaved
Note:
1. I can't make up my mind about this line. The primary meaning of 'shimetta' seems to be 'damp, humid', but it can also mean 'to feel depressed, to be down'. So maybe this line could also be read as, "the oppressive stillness of the subway gloom."
2. I translated it as 'thing' but 'mono', when written phonetically in hiragana, can mean either a thing or a person. Which brings me to the second part: in Buddhist tradition, people are cremated after their death.