While stuck at home in lockdown, my family and I have been trying to take daily walks around neighborhood, and yesterday I caught sight of these cherry blossoms! 🌸
Around this time of year, I always go back and read poems from a famous 12th century poetry anthology from Japan called the Hyakunin Isshu (百人一首, “100 poems by 100 poets”). I even made a blog devoted to it some years back. For Spring, Poem 33 is usually my favorite, but today I would like to share poem 61:
いにしへの奈良の都の八重桜今日九重に匂ひぬるかな
Translation by Professor Mostow in Pictures of the Heart: The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image
Inishie no Nara no miyako no Yae-zakura kyo kokonoe ni nioi nuru kana
The eight-petalled cherries from the Nara capital of the ancient past today nine layers thick have bloomed within your court!
Usually, we go visit the cherry blossoms at the University of Washington at this time of year, but I have been to Japan once (in the old capitol of Nara, no less!) to see the cherry blossoms there in 2010.1 This is a photo of the famous Todaiji temple:
Even if you are stuck at home, may you get to enjoy the Spring with some blossoms, fresh air and some good poetry!
1 Including a visit to the see the well-known February Hall. Todaiji is always a great visit.
Gleanings in Buddha-Fields 