思い出すこと (The memories)*

by Necry Talkie

Original Japanese:

古くなった紙とインクの匂い

灯油の切れてる役立たずのストーブには

積み上げてる漫画

息も白いまま

聞こえてるのは紙擦れの音だけ

Romaji:

furuku natta kami to inku no nioi

touyu no kireteru yakudatazu no sutoubu ni wa

tsumiageteru manga

iki mo shiroi mama

kikoeteru no wa kami sure no oto dake

Straight Translation:

The smell of old paper and ink.

On an empty, useless kerosene room heater

comics are piled up.

I can still see my breath and

can only hear the rustling of paper.

Poetic Translation:

That smell of aging paper and ink.

Manga sit, piled up on

an empty, useless kerosene heater.

Still, my breath hangs in the cold air,

as the sound of rustling paper fills the room.

*T/N: I would have translated the song title to be something like “Remembering” or “Reminiscing” but the official English title is “The memories”.

Translation by Colby Androus