Toyo Shibata's verses have proved a balm to a nation in decline and unsure of its future role, writes JUSTIN McCURRYin Tokyo
TOYO SHIBATA only started writing when she was 92; now, as she prepares to celebrate her 100th birthday, her poems are finding an eager audience in Japan as it reels from two decades of economic malaise and faces up to an uncertain future.
Shibata's anthology, Kujikenaide[Don't Lose Heart], has sold 1.5 million copies since its publication, in late 2009.
The self-published collection of 42 poems is proving literary balm to a country confronted with economic decline and questions over how to fund welfare and pensions for the growing population of over-65s.
The book has been the most popular title on Japan’s keenly watched Oricon chart for the past two weeks, and was among the 10 most popular titles of last year. After recording impressive early sales, the book was taken on by the publisher Asuka Shinsha and reissued, with new artwork, last spring.
The nonagenarian describes her poems, with uplifting titles such as “Everyone’s Dreams Are Equal” and “Take It Easy, Don’t Try Too Hard”, as an expression of gratitude to the people who have cared for her during her twilight years.
“I’ve lived to this age thanks to support from my family, friends, caregivers and doctors, and am transforming my gratitude into poetry to tell them, ‘Thank you, I am really happy,‘” Reuters quoted her as saying.
Aside from offering gentle encouragement, Shibata occasionally adopts a confessional tone. In one poem, “Secret”, she writes: “Although 98, I’ve fallen in love. I also have dreams. I want to ride on a cloud.” The verse is apparently a reference to a doctor who visited her at home.
The anthology reached the 1.5 million sales mark last week after a TV documentary about Shibata in December fuelled interest in her work; sales of about 10,000 copies are considered a success for poetry anthologies in Japan.
She was encouraged to write poetry by her son, who is in his mid-60s, after recurring back pain forced her to give up her lifelong hobby of classical Japanese dance.
“When my first poem was published in a newspaper, I was very, very happy,” she said. “I sent them another one and that also got published. So I kept on writing.” Ideas for poems usually come to her while she is in bed or sitting at home in Tokyo, where she has lived alone since her husband died 19 years ago.
“I think of various things: memories of my past and my family, my current life. I immerse myself in those memories and write from them.”
She has received fan mail from people inspired by her words. “I take your poems out to read when I’m frustrated,” wrote one man who was having trouble at work.
Shibata is compiling a new anthology, to be released before her 100th birthday, in June.
– (Guardian service)