artificial flowers
gotta be one of the strangest pop songs ever. but memorable. couldn't get it out of my head.
THE FLOWER MARKET
In the Royal City spring
is almost over;
Tinkle, tinkle—
the coaches and horsemen pass.
We tell each other
“This is the peony season”;
To follow with the crowd that goes to the Flower Market.
Cheap and dear—
no uniform price;
The cost of the plant depends on the number of blossoms.
To flaming reds,
a hundred on one stalk;
The humble white with
only five flowers
Silk is spread as an awning to protect them;
Around is woven a wattle-fence to screen them
If you sprinkle water and cover the roots with mud,
When they are transplanted, they will not lose their beauty.”
Each household thoughtlessly follows the custom,
Man by man, no one realizing
There happened to be an old farm labourer
Who came by chance that way
He bowed his head and sighed a deep sigh;
But this sigh nobody understood
He was thinking, “A cluster of deep-red flowers
Would pay the taxes of ten poor houses.”
Po Chü-i (772–846) Translated by Arthur Waley (1889–1966)
via The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry
so much of art is like that
THE FLOWER MARKETIn the Royal City spring
is almost over;
Tinkle, tinkle—
the coaches and horsemen pass.
We tell each other
“This is the peony season”;To follow with the crowd that goes to the Flower Market.
Cheap and dear—
no uniform price;
The cost of the plant depends on the number of blossoms.To flaming reds,
a hundred on one stalk;
The humble white withonly five flowers
Silk is spread as an awning to protect them;
Around is woven a wattle-fence to screen themIf you sprinkle water and cover the roots with mud,
When they are transplanted, they will not lose their beauty.”Each household thoughtlessly follows the custom,
Man by man, no one realizing
There happened to be an old farm labourer
Who came by chance that wayHe bowed his head and sighed a deep sigh;
But this sigh nobody understood
He was thinking, “A cluster of deep-red flowers
Would pay the taxes of ten poor houses.”
Po Chü-i (772–846) Translated by Arthur Waley (1889–1966)
via The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry
so much of art is like that
Labels: arthur whaley, bobby darin, coco chanel, costume, eishosai choki, Po Chü-i, poetry, vionnet
posted by lotusgreen at 7:00 AM
4 Comments:
You are right, what a strange song :) I wondered what inspired this.
The peony's are just exquisite. I saw the "boy on a carp" woodblock print at the Asian Art Museum in the Fall. It was spectacular.
do you remember that song?
No, Lotus,
Never heard him before; an intriguing post though. The embroidered costumes are just divine.
aren't they gorgeous
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hi, and thanks so much for stopping by. i spend all too much time thinking my own thoughts about this stuff, so please tell me yours. i thrive on the exchange!
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