Stone Egg

I cover my small, mysterious egg
In the tall grass,
And spreading my snow white wings
I fly into the blue, never to return.

My father, I’m certain
Must have been an unusual swan,
Or maybe he was an ugly duck
Born on a farm in Sagami.

Believing I could hatch my egg,
I resolved to stay with it until yesterday,
After worrying over it all through the night,
It turned to stone by morning light.

My sister passed away clutching a rose,
Her husband ate some blackberries and died,
For a long time I held my egg and sang
In the attic of an abandoned house.

In the end, I decided to leave it behind
See how I soar through the sky,
When the stars are clear and bright and the wild chrysanthemum fragrant,
A swan takes flight, over streets awash with pop music, ever higher,
and far away.–