Happy memories
Wrapped up in their rosy haze
Of bygone sweetness
Yet the air nowadays is
Cold and clear, without mercy
Note: link is wood-smoke to rosy haze
Tag Archive | Kotori no Uta
小鳥の歌 14
The scent of wood-smoke
Carried on the autumn wind
And I am brought back
To those happy childhood days
My family around me
Notes: Link: From “premonition” to “I am brought back”, imagined future to remembered past.
Something about the smell of wood-smoke reminds me of autumn during my childhood–never mind that I grew up in Texas! We had a fireplace and my father liked to use it just as the weather started to cool.
小鳥の歌 13
Shivering, I wake
One-half hour before the dawn
A premonition
I reach for my beloved
But he is no longer there
Link: Chill runs up my spine to Shivering
Everything is fine with my husband–he wasn’t there when I woke up because he was working the midnight shift, LOL. Poetry makes everything more dramatic!!!
小鳥の歌 12
I look up, seeing
The slightest hint of color
Autumn’s harbinger
The leaves whisper “Make ready!”
And a chill runs up my spine
Link: Sinners’ upraised faces to I look up. Since the last poem was purely spiritual, I needed to bring the poems back into the seasonal theme. It’s important that the poems keep their seasonal/natural world grounding, even if the theme wanders away from time to time.
小鳥の歌 10
Autumn rains falling
Early this year, my tear drops
Will not be noticed
Crickets cry, a broken song
Dripping from my bleeding lips
Notes:
Link: rains must fall, shoulders curl -> autumn rains falling, tear drops, dripping
Autumn rains is a common poetic term for sorrow
小鳥の歌 9
Unexpectedly
The gathering clouds darken
Hear the thunder roll!
No escape, the rain must fall
Shuddering, my shoulders curl
link: Yoshitsune descending on heedless Dannoura; Unexpectedly, no escape
I like rain, but not thunderstorms. This one was particularly vicious.
September 9, 2016
小鳥の歌 7 and 8
Darkness surrounding
My senses as I reel
Closing around me
Morpheus, why hasten you
Here, so far from your kingdom?
Make haste, make haste, there
Is no more time for dreaming
Time creeps upon you
Yoshitsune descending
On heedless Dannoura
Notes:
Links: Midnight vigil to Darkness surrounding, why hasten you to make haste
First poem actually describes a fainting spell, can also mean depression. Morpheus is the Lord of Dreams.
Second poem notes there is not time for dreaming. I am trying to finish a project and am (as usual) running late. Yoshitsune descending upon Dannoura refers to the Battle of Dan no Ura, the final battle of the Genpei War (between the Minamoto and Taira clans, April 25th, 1185). Although mostly a sea battle, the land forces of the Taira were on a beach at Dan no Ura (which literally means “beach platform), when Minamoto no Yoshitsune came down upon them with his forces, riding down a very steep cliffside in a sneak attack.
小鳥の歌 6
Arm as a pillow
I gaze at your sleeping form
Blessedly peaceful
My midnight vigil begins
While you doze like an infant
Notes: link Hand reaching to arm as a pillow.
Arm as a pillow is a makurakatoba, indicating sleeping with someone, often after intercourse.
The “feeling” is actually more comic in effect than early classical Japanese poetry, but believe me, it was truly felt.
小鳥の歌 5
Your radiant smile
Still has the power to stir
My love-wary heart
So weary of Love’s cruel games
I extend a cautious hand
Link: radiant stars to radiant smile
Attempt at kakekatoba (pivot word) with the wary/weary pun. Not sure I like it, I ended up repeating “love” as well. I suppose I might have used “Cupid’s games” instead? Oh, well, tanka: one and done. Move on.
小鳥の歌 4
The world keeps spinning
All things alight in their time
Nothing is constant
Even the darkest night is
Pierced by the radiant stars
Notes:
Link: “The world turned upside down” to “the world keeps spinning”.
Alight can mean “to descend” or “to come off of”, or it can also mean to “suddenly chance upon”. The ambiguity is purposeful.
This poem counters the negative uncertainty of the previous poem with a more positive feeling.
Foxeholly 