In my previous entry, I talked about how popular Senryu/ 川柳 has become recently. Today, I'll introduce some of the top ten Senryu in a popular contest. They were announced a few days ago. I hope you can understand why they are very funny and enjoy our innuendo and dark humor. If you are interested in finding more information about Senryu and the contest, please click here. The senryu that I'll introduce reflects our society.
★Second place in the contest.
「先を読め！」
言った先輩
リストラに
「先を読め！」："You have to look ahead"
言った先輩： My senior co-worker who told that.
リストラに：In the Japanese language, リストラ / restructuring often means being forced to resign due to corporate restructuring.
【Background】
-In Japan, because of the economic downturn, we've been struggling to survive at work. Workers are always afraid of being laid off or being compelled to resign since many businesses are forced to restructure.
-In Japan, workers are expected to perform their duties while looking ahead. The phrase" look or think ahead" is often heard at work.
【Ｉnterpretations】
-My senior co-worker who was taking care of me gave me a pep talk, saying that I had to look ahead. Despite that, he was forced to quit his job due to corporate restructuring. This shows that he was't able to look ahead. How ironic!!
★Third place
ただいまは
犬に言うなよ
オレに言え
ただいまは：In Japan, when we come home, we say ただいま/ I'm home.
犬に言うなよ：Don't say ただいま to the dogs.
オレに言え：Say ただいま to me.
【Background】
-In Japan, when husbands approach their mandatory retirement age, many of them realize that they don't belong to any communities other than their companies whereas their wives have many friends. After retiring, they spend a lot of time alone at home. In contrast, their wives often go out with their friends. They often wait for their wives to come home.
-Many husbands over 55 didn't care much about their wives before they retired. As a result, their wives has a stronger bond with their pets than them when they retire.
-Husbands tend to complain about this situation.
【Interpretations】
-Every time my wife comes home, she says "I'm home" to her dear dog. She should say it to me.
-Readers can understand how much the writer has been suffering from the situation where he is hardly paid attention and he has nowhere to go .
★Fourth place
「離さない！」
10年経つと
話さない
「離さない！」：I'll never let your go.
10年経つと：After ten years have passed
話さない：I don't want to talk with you.
【Interpretations】
-When we got married, my spouse told me that he/she would never let me go. It's been ten years since then. My spouse is even unwilling to talk with me.
-In the Japanese language, 離さない and 話さない are homophones, which makes this senryu funny.
