Poetry – Gleanings in Buddha-Fields

A Life of Pomp and Regret

In Professor Donald Keene’s biography about the life of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (足利義政, 1436 – 1490), includes a poem composed by Yoshimasa, now retired and living in his villa, the Silver Pavilion, ruminating on his former life as the supreme military commander of Japan: Japanese Romanization Translation くやしくぞ Kuyashiku zo Today I recall 過ぎしうき世をContinue reading “A Life of Pomp and Regret”

Remembering Loved Ones

Recently, my family and I observed the 100th day memorial for “baba”, my wife’s mother in Japan, and grandmother to our kids. This had me thinking about another poem by Lady Izumi1 from The Ink Dark Moon by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani: Original Japanese Romanization Translation 跡をみて Ato wo mite Even in my dreamsContinue reading “Remembering Loved Ones”

Of Burning Houses and Rain

Here is another wonderful poem (previous posts here and here) by the 11th century Japanese poetess, Lady Izumi (izumi shikibu 和泉式部 in Japanese), that I found in The Ink Dark Moon by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani: Original Japanese Romanization Translation ものをのみ Mono o nomi Should I leave this burning house 思ひの家を Omoi no ieContinue reading “Of Burning Houses and Rain”

Inattention

A while back, I talked about a famous poetess from 11th century Japan named Lady Izumi, one of several famous ladies of the court at that time, but for some reason the one I find most fascinating.1 Lady Izumi was a prolific poet, and I have been reading samples of her poetry compiled in TheContinue reading “Inattention”

Spring Drowsiness

Recently, my wife and I were talking about how lately we’ve been feeling extra drowsy and lethargic, and she reminded me of a famous Chinese poem from the Tang Dynasty that is often quoted in Japanese culture as a figure of speech: 春眠暁を覚えず shunmin akatsuki wo oboezu This phrase can be loosely translated as “whileContinue reading “Spring Drowsiness”

Even Cherry Blossoms Get Old

Recently, I found this post on Twitter: The sakura sure have lasted a long time this year😬🌸 there comes a timeeven in blossoming Kyoto…sick of it或時は花の都にも倦にけり Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1795.Translation by David G. Lanoue.#Kyoto #Sakura #Japan #Chionin #小林一茶 #cherryblossom #知恩院 pic.twitter.com/sOjHZntnb5 — Adventures in Kyoto (@KyotoDailyPhoto) April 14, 2019 The haiku in question, writtenContinue reading “Even Cherry Blossoms Get Old”

Gone Before You Know It

Now that the miserable long winter here in the Pacific Northwest is becoming a faded memory (not to mention unusually persistent this year), Spring is finally here! At times like these I love to go back and re-read poems from the famous Japanese anthology, the Hyakunin Isshu. In particular, one of my favorite is thisContinue reading “Gone Before You Know It”

Spring Fever

Warm weather has finally arrived! I wanted to post an old poem from my other blog here to celebrate: 久方の Hisakata no 光のどけき hikari no dokeki 春の日に haru no hi ni しづ心なく shizu gokoro naku 花のちるらむ hana no chiruran Porter’s translation is: THE spring has come, and once again The sun shines in the sky; So gentlyContinue reading “Spring Fever”