ONE HUNDRED MORE POEMS FROM THE JAPANESE (1974)
Kenneth Rexroth
XVII
The uguisu has not come
To sing on this misty day.
Somewhere, I guess, he is sleeping,
His jeweled claws neatly doubled.
Yosano Akiko
XLI
Everybody tells me
My hair is too long
I leave it
As you saw it last
Dishevelled by your hands.
Lady Sono No Omi Ikuha
LXXIV
When I pick up my koto
A cry of sorrow comes from it.
Is it possible that
In the koto's hollow
My wife's spirit
Has secluded itself?
Anonymous, Manyoshu
LXXIX
Evening darkens until
I can no longer see the path.
Still I find my way home,
My horse has gone this way before.
Anonymous, Gosenshu
XCVI
Everybody knows
How much I love you.
All your
Mannerisms
Have become my
Mannerisms.
Anonymous
Kenneth Rexroth
XVII
The uguisu has not come
To sing on this misty day.
Somewhere, I guess, he is sleeping,
His jeweled claws neatly doubled.
Yosano Akiko
XLI
Everybody tells me
My hair is too long
I leave it
As you saw it last
Dishevelled by your hands.
Lady Sono No Omi Ikuha
LXXIV
When I pick up my koto
A cry of sorrow comes from it.
Is it possible that
In the koto's hollow
My wife's spirit
Has secluded itself?
Anonymous, Manyoshu
LXXIX
Evening darkens until
I can no longer see the path.
Still I find my way home,
My horse has gone this way before.
Anonymous, Gosenshu
XCVI
Everybody knows
How much I love you.
All your
Mannerisms
Have become my
Mannerisms.
Anonymous
2 Comments:
Many more Rexroth translations and other writings are online at http://www.bopsecrets.org/rexroth
Enjoy!
thank you - how mysterious you are!
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