 |
 |
| From the sleeve notes |
|
| Just as the multisignificant characters
written down by the brush of the calligrapher gain another expressive
dimension and became a new message, so the poetry and thoughts of the Hyaku-nin-isshiu
collection “One Hundred Poems from One Hundred Poets” of the ancient
Japanese ages can speak in a new way every time. |
| Perhaps
through “the sound of the blowing wind in the bamboo grove”, as was described
the tone of shakuhachi the bamboo flute of the Zen “monks
of nothingness” komuso, maybe through the voice of “blowing
meditation”, through the voice of the seekers of the way to Awakening. |
|
|
|
|
|
77 Sewo hayami
|
|
|
|
Sewo hayamiiwa
ni sekarurutaki-gawa
no
|
|
Warete mo sue niawan
to zo omou
|
|
|
|
As water of a stream will meet,
|
|
Though barred by rocks, apart it fall
|
|
In rash cascades, so we too, sweet,
|
|
Shall be together after all.
|
|
|
|
(The Retired Emperor Sutoku)
|
|
|
|
57 Meguri aite
|
|
|
|
Meguri aitemishi
ya sore tomowaka
nu ma ni
|
|
Kumo kakure nishiyowa
no tsuki kana
|
|
|
|
After long years we meet, O Moon,
|
|
And how I wished to have him stay;
|
|
But as you hide in clouds too soon,
|
|
So did he likewise go away.
|
|
|
|
(The Lady Murasaki Shikibu)
|
|
|
|
82 Omoi wabi
|
|
|
|
Omoi wabisatemo
inochi waaru
mono wo
|
|
Uki ni taenu wanamida
nari keri
|
|
|
|
I live on, thinking life is vain,
|
|
And tired of lover’s care, but still
|
|
’Tis strange that I can not refrain
|
|
From tears, which come against my will.
|
|
|
|
(The Priest Doin)
|
|
|
|
12 Amatsu kaze
|
|
|
|
Amatsu kazekumo
no kayoijifuki
tojiyo
|
|
Otome no sugatashibashi
todomen
|
|
|
|
O Heaven’s Wind, be kind and close
|
|
The gate whereby clouds pass away,
|
|
For lo, the maiden dancing goes, -
|
|
The maiden beautiful and gay.
|
|
|
|
(The Priest Henjo)
|
|
|
|
47 Yaemugura shigereru
|
|
|
|
Yaemugurashigereru
yado nosabishisa
ni
|
|
Hito koso mieneaki
wa ki ni keri
|
|
|
|
Wretched is my cottage where
|
|
Only the cleavers hold their sway.
|
|
And to this bower lorn and bare
|
|
In secret comes the autumn grey.
|
|
|
|
(The Priest Ekei)
|
|
|
|
Translation: H. H. Honda, The
Hokuseido Press Tokyo 1956
|
|
(ISBN 4-590-00086-5)
|
|
|
|
[ Close window ]
|
|
|
to hear the excerpt in mp3 format. Apple's Quicktime 4 (or higher) plug-in
required. For free download click here.
