A review by supdankosmos
One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse by Fujiwara no Teika, Peter Macmillan
3.0
This is my first time reading a classical Japanese verse, I thought it's going to be a hard read. How I wrong about that. So many of them are relatable to me (or maybe us?).
Here's some of my favorites:
10. Semimaru
So this is the place!
Crowds,
coming
going
meeting
parting,
those known,
unknown -
the Gate of Meeting Hill.
People come and go.
- -
44. Fujiwara no Asatada
If we had never met,
I would not so much resent
your being cold to me
or how I've come to hate myself
because I love you so.
It be like that sometimes.
- -
50. Fujiwara no Yoshitaka
I thought I would give up my life
to hold you in my arms,
but after a night together,
I find myself wishing
that I could live for ever.
THIS. IS LOVE.
When you're in love, you, too, might wish that you could live for ever.
how terrible it is to love something that death can touch.
- -
57.Murasaki Shikibu
Just like the moon,
you had come and gone
before I knew it.
Were you, too, hiding
among the midnight clouds?
- -
66. Prelate Gyoson
Mountain Cherry,
let us console each other.
Of all those I know
no ones understands me
the way your blossoms do.
'no ones understands me the way your blossoms do.' how? how do you write something so beautiful like this? how do you manage to think about yourself and a mountain cherry are the same thing? It's beautiful, excuse me but I'm going to cry.
- -
84. Fujiwara no Kiyosuke
Since I now recall fondly
the painful days of the past,
if I live long, I may look back
on these harsh days, too,
and find them sweet and good.
True. It's just one of those days. Please stay alive, there's so many beautiful things in this cruel yet so beautiful world.
--
Here's some of my favorites:
10. Semimaru
So this is the place!
Crowds,
coming
going
meeting
parting,
those known,
unknown -
the Gate of Meeting Hill.
People come and go.
- -
44. Fujiwara no Asatada
If we had never met,
I would not so much resent
your being cold to me
or how I've come to hate myself
because I love you so.
It be like that sometimes.
- -
50. Fujiwara no Yoshitaka
I thought I would give up my life
to hold you in my arms,
but after a night together,
I find myself wishing
that I could live for ever.
THIS. IS LOVE.
When you're in love, you, too, might wish that you could live for ever.
how terrible it is to love something that death can touch.
- -
57.Murasaki Shikibu
Just like the moon,
you had come and gone
before I knew it.
Were you, too, hiding
among the midnight clouds?
- -
66. Prelate Gyoson
Mountain Cherry,
let us console each other.
Of all those I know
no ones understands me
the way your blossoms do.
'no ones understands me the way your blossoms do.' how? how do you write something so beautiful like this? how do you manage to think about yourself and a mountain cherry are the same thing? It's beautiful, excuse me but I'm going to cry.
- -
84. Fujiwara no Kiyosuke
Since I now recall fondly
the painful days of the past,
if I live long, I may look back
on these harsh days, too,
and find them sweet and good.
True. It's just one of those days. Please stay alive, there's so many beautiful things in this cruel yet so beautiful world.
--