Poem, LONDON
Oct 12, 2023
Subway
by Philip Hancock
Ribbed concrete ramp descends
to the tunnel entrance
deadening town-centre sounds.
Footsteps come into their own.
Faceless figures approaching
stick to their side.
The light ahead expands
as I hurry on up, emerging,
always surprised
how little distance I’ve travelled.
note
- From forthcoming collection House on the A34, CB editions (2023).
- Japanese translation by Rogan's which is an anonymous translation team.
地下道
フィリップ・ハンコック
訳 Rogan’s
でこぼこあばらのアスファルト
下った先にトンネルぽっかり
街の騒ぎが消えていく。
足音コツコツひびき出す。
顔のない人かげ近づいて
重なってはまた離れ。
ぐんぐん歩みを速めると
目さきの光が広がって
出ればいつも思うのよ
これしか進んでないなんて。
注
- 詩集House on the A34, CB editionsより（2023年刊行予定）。
Philip Hancock
Philip Hancock was born in Newchapel, Stoke-on-Trent, in 1966.He left school at sixteen to serve a City & Guilds craft apprentice-ship. His debut pamphlet Hearing Ourselves Think (Smiths Knoll,2009) was a Guardian Book of the Year. A second pamphlet, Just Help Yourself (Smiths Knoll), appeared in 2016. Jelly Baby, a film-poem, screened at various short film festivals and was published by Areté. City Works Dept. was published by Be in 2018.
