Dear Kenneth Rexroth and Ikuko Atsumi,
Thanks.
Ahhhh, this book is fab, posh, all that, toff. I mean, the first poem, by Princess Nukada in the seventh century:
Longing for you,
loving you,
waiting for you,
the bamboo blinds were swayed
only by the autumn wind.
My goodness! I mean, I may be a bit biased since I happen to like Japanese poetry, but I've never had my heart pulled quite like this by such concise selections of words. Rexroth and Atsumi did a fine job of translating the poetry from Japanese- they were able to retain the words, meanings, and feelings.
In this book, women poets from the seventh century through modern times wrote when they were moved. Some mourned the dead. Some waited while their lovers would never come. Nature, depression, love, motherhood, societal roles... One feels like one has glanced down a deep well and caught a glimpse of someone's soul. The thought may be brief, but it is no less poignant.
Thanks.
Ahhhh, this book is fab, posh, all that, toff. I mean, the first poem, by Princess Nukada in the seventh century:
Longing for you,
loving you,
waiting for you,
the bamboo blinds were swayed
only by the autumn wind.
My goodness! I mean, I may be a bit biased since I happen to like Japanese poetry, but I've never had my heart pulled quite like this by such concise selections of words. Rexroth and Atsumi did a fine job of translating the poetry from Japanese- they were able to retain the words, meanings, and feelings.
In this book, women poets from the seventh century through modern times wrote when they were moved. Some mourned the dead. Some waited while their lovers would never come. Nature, depression, love, motherhood, societal roles... One feels like one has glanced down a deep well and caught a glimpse of someone's soul. The thought may be brief, but it is no less poignant.
Blue
