Commentary
Hideo Yokokawa

Reprint from the English Japanese bilingual book of poetry
"Pillars of A Landscape - by Aftab Seth"
with Japanese translation by Hideo Yokokaw
published by Hy H. Yokokawa & Partners, Tokyo
in March, 2002.

In June, 1926 when Shinpei Kusano was studying in Rin-nan University (now, Zon-san University), Shanghai, China which was an American mission school, Rabindranath Tagore (64 years old, then) visited Hong Kong. Shinpei, 21 years old at that time, went to see Tagore on the vessel's deck of President Line. Shinpei records this matter in his book "Note of My Youth". The speech that Tagore made there was deeply etched into his young mind, and its opening words were recorded as follows:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I represent the voice of Asia. I have come to China, not as a politician, not as a philosopher, but as a poet"

The reason I refer to this matter here at the top of this page is that I believe this anecdote presents an important symbolized key for us to think of the root and spirit of poetry, the culture of India and Japan and further Asia itself as a whole.

It was last year that I learned Mr. Aftab Seth, Ambassador of India to Japan was a poet. I had offered copies of my book of poetry entitled "at Dawn" which contains my 174 poems in English to be placed in the appropriate libraries in India. He kindly sent me a letter extending his generosity to my proposal together with his own book of poetry. After perusing the book, first of all I remembered the above anecdote, and I could not help thinking of the profundity of India in all its depth.

Writing poems, in practical terms, demands of the writer an unexpected good energy both physically and mentally and it makes you tired. So, it is almost incredible to me that he has been writing poems of a really high level besides executing very important strenuous works as an ambassador.

The 30 poems recorded in this book were edited by adding a newly written poem to the poetry book under the same title which was published in Dehli in 1995. I have in my hands his other new poems, the volume and number of which are far more than double the work recorded in this book.

For my flawless work in translation in respect of the English interpretation, I had fortunately kind guidance of Dr. Phyllis Hoge Thompson, Professor Emerita of The University of Hawaii, a very famous female poet not only limited in the USA but also in the world. As a result, I believe my translations can be considered much successful. I should be very happy if I could have a chance to introduce his other new poems in my hands in the future.

I have enjoyed the very interesting process of my translation this time. And at the same time, even apart from the 50th anniversary of Japan India Diplomatic Relations this year and 100th of Japan India Association next year, I hereby express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Seth for his having given me an honor of introducing a unique and splendid world of poetry that we Japanese need for the future.