japonisme: in summer's eyes

21 June 2009

in summer's eyes

1805

.さし汐も朝はうれしやとぶ乙鳥
sashishio mo asa wa ureshi ya tobu tsubame

high tide
and a happy morning...
swallows flying


1806

.蓮の花燕はとしのよらぬ也
hasu [no] hana tsubame wa toshi no yoranu nari

among lotus blossoms
the swallows don't
grow old


1807

.巣乙鳥の目を放さぬや暮の空
su tsubame no me wo hanasanu ya kure no sora

baby swallows in the nest--
eyes glued
on the evening sky


1807

.山里は乙鳥の声も祝ふ也
yama-zato wa tsubame no koe mo iwau nari

mountain village--
even the swallows sing
in celebration


1814

.乙鳥よ是はそなたが桃の花
tsubakura yo kore wa sonata ga momo no hana

swallows--
these peach blossoms belong
to you


david lanoue is who does so many of the wonderful issa translations i feature here, often with his commentary. just wanted to say thanks, david.

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11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Could the impassive heron burn the same amount of energy as the nervous swallow? Both are masters...
D

22 June, 2009 06:23  
Blogger lotusgreen said...

the still herons
burn the same energy
as nervous swallows

22 June, 2009 09:47  
Anonymous evan said...

short legged swallows wish
they could stand like the heron
in cool still water

22 June, 2009 10:40  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

swallows summer, herons winter,on the same waters
d

23 June, 2009 04:27  
Blogger lotusgreen said...

little d, may i introduce you to big D :^)

23 June, 2009 07:33  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

thank you for introducing me to myself. I just can't drive the net properly and I can't check my previous messages out of deep disordered laziness. No mysterious ambiguity, I'm sincerely sorry but love your mosaics with the same sincerity. Thanks for indulgence. DdDimitrietc...

23 June, 2009 08:34  
Blogger lotusgreen said...

oh dimitri--i am so sorry to embarass you! it was not at all my intention!

i really loved your contributions!

23 June, 2009 08:45  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

no embarassment, you japonized me.
medium d

23 June, 2009 09:09  
Blogger lotusgreen said...

!!!!!!!!!!


:^D

23 June, 2009 09:59  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Lotusgreen,
I always look at those birds..
their sound announc the spring and the summer...
i love i love i love..
thank for this post...
http://cerfapaillettes.canalblog.com/

26 June, 2009 00:49  
Blogger lotusgreen said...

merci, merci beaucoup

i only see them when i'm at the water....

26 June, 2009 07:57  

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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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