I offer my translation, made thanks to the community. *Note:* the names mentioned by the poet Nagai -- Dangiku, Ochi, Ichiyo, Koyo, Ryokuu, Encho, Shicho, Ryuson and Ogai Gyoshi -- were all contemporary poets, performers and figures of the Meiji period. For some of them, Nagai describes their falling into oblivion punningly, in a manner befitting their names. > 今の世の若き人々 > Young people of our age, > われにな問ひそ今の世と > ask me not of the arts of our age and > また来る時代の藝術を。 > those of the age to come. > われは明治の兒ならずや。 > Am I not a child of the Meiji? > その文化歴史となりて葬られし時 > When that culture and its history were entombed > わが青春の夢もまた消えにけり。 > The dreams of my youth, too, disappeared. > 團菊はしをれて桜癡は散りにき。 > Dangiku dried up, and Ochi dispersed. > 一葉落ちて紅葉は枯れ > Ichiyo fell, Koyo withered, > 緑雨の聲も亦絶えたりき。 > Ryokuu's voice too was severed. > 圓朝も去れり紫蝶も去れり。 > Encho passed, Shicho too. > わが感激の泉とくに枯れたり。 > My wellspring of emotion too, already withered. > われは明治の兒なりけり。 > I was a child of the Meiji. > 或年大地俄にゆらめき > One year, the earth shook, and > 火は都を燬きぬ。 > Fire destroyed the capital. > 柳村先生既になく > Master Ryuuson was already gone; > 鴎外漁史も亦姿をかくしぬ。 > Ougai Gyoshi too, vanished from our sight. > 江戸文化の名残烟となりぬ。 > Edo, the remnants of its culture, became as smoke. > 明治の文化また灰とならぬ。 > Meiji, its culture too, became as ash. > 今の世のわかき人々 > Young people of our age, > 我にな語りそ今の世と > speak not to me of the arts of our age and > また来む時代の藝術を。 > the age which be to come. > くもりし眼鏡ふくとても > Though I wipe my clouded glasses, > われ今何をか見得べき。 > now, what am I to see? > われは明治の兒ならずや。 > Am I not a child of the Meiji? > 去りし明治の世の兒ならずや。 > Not a child of the Meiji age, long-gone?