Topic: Ono no Komachi

[Nichi]

Yielding to a love
That knows no limit,
I shall go to him by night --
For the world does not yet censure
Those who tread the paths of dreams.


Ono no Komachi
9th Century Japan

[Nichi]

Since this body
was forgotten
by the one who promised to come,
my only thought is wondering
whether it even exists.


Ono no Komachi
9th Century Japan

[Nichi]

Did he appear,
because I fell asleep
thinking of him?
If only I'd known I was dreaming
I'd never have wakened.


O.n.K.

[Nichi]

When longing for him
Tortures me beyond endurance,
I reverse my robe --
Garb of night, black as leopard-flower berries --
And wear it inside out.


O.n.K.

[Nichi]

Since encountering my beloved
While I dozed,
I have begun to feel
That it is dreams, not reality,
On which I can rely.


O.n.K

[Nichi]

The above are Japanese Tankas.
"Tanka" means "short poem" or "short song", consisting of 31 Japanese syllables. They are usually divided into syllabic units of 5-7-5-7-7.

The notion of "yugen" became one of the key elements in tanka poetry. "Yugen" is a subtle and profound atmosphere. It is also an infinite, tranquil space with lingering suggestiveness -- avoiding detailed descriptions.

See the Transcript at
http://www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=39&EventId=483

[Nichi]

In waking hours
natural, perhaps,
but even in dreams---
how miserable, to be forever hiding
from the eyes of others   


O.n.K.

[Nichi]

Submit to you---
could that be what you are saying?
the way ripples on the water
submit to an idling wind?


O.n.K.

[Nichi]

Sad---the end that waits me---
to think at last
I'll be a mere haze
pale green over the fields   


O.n.K.

[Nichi]

[Firestarter]

These are really good V.

[Michael]

a beautiful old woman

so sensitive poetry

[Michael]

Don't know where you found this, but I just been to this person's site (got it from the link address of the pic) and it has such a lot of Japanese stuff - some of it really beautiful.

here's the link:
http://mercury.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/

check the snow series

[Nichi]

Don't know where you found this, but I just been to this person's site (got it from the link address of the pic) and it has such a lot of Japanese stuff - some of it really beautiful.

here's the link:
http://mercury.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/

check the snow series

Ahhh! Thanks for pointing it out -- all kinds of goodies in there!

[Firestarter]

(Something else wild -- he lives in Tidewater - my area - somewhere.)

http://mercury.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/nontech/isabel.html

Huh? That is pretty trippy.