Lyrics of Memorial Processional

　 Memorial Processional　　　　　　

Requiem for Innocent Victims of 3.11 Tsunami

By Mike Shirota

(English translation by Takako Miyazaki / Emi Shinozaki)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
風よ　吹き荒れろ O let the wind blow harder
あの叫び散らせ and take their screams away
風よ　吹き荒れろ O let the wind blow stronger
あの呻き散らせ and take their groans away
幼き子の悔しさを And the sorrows of those little innocent souls
この海原に沈めよ let them slowly subside beneath the sea

雨よ　降りしきれ O let the rain keep falling
あの嘆き流せ and wash your griefs away
雨よ　降りしきれ O let the rain keep roaring
あの涙流せ and shed your tears away
残りし我が哀しみを And the sorrows of mine that were left behind
この波間に沈めよ let them slowly descend beneath the waves

雪よ　降り積もれ O let the snow keep falling
この父の肩に onto this father’s shoulders
雪よ　降り積もれ O let the snow keep swirling
この母の顔に against this mother’s face
果てしのない怒りを Set us free from this pain, ever-lasting bane
永遠（とわ）に凍らせよ keep it frozen forever beneath the sea


Note:
I had a chance to visit one of the ruins (an elementary school) in Ishinomaki, Japan in last April where most of the students were killed by the huge tsunami on March 11, 2011. The devastated schene inspired me with a mixture feeling of sorrow and anger as if I was one of those fathers who lost their loved ones.
This lyrics came up as a requiem for those children when I was arranging a choral piece with 4 mixed voices on the beautiful melody of Memorial Processional composed by my friend Maestro Gregory Singer. ---- Mike Shirota, Concert Director