The two of us on your bike
28th February 2009
One of the brands of tea that I buy ran a haiku contest and includes the winning entries in each box.
So in a box of 20 teabags, 20 poems. This morning - afternoon, really - I tore open a foil packet, took out the teabag and read on the other side of the packet:
二人乗り
重いと言わない
君の汗
Freely translated:
The two of us on your bike
but of the weight behind
your sweat, you say
nothing.
A winner from a junior high school girl.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
In the spirit of the day
14th February 2008
A diver does not abandon
a seaweed-filled bay...
Will you then turn away
from this floating, sea-foam body
that waits for your gathering hands?
- Ono no Komachi (834?-?)
From The Ink Dark Moon, translated by Jane Hirshfield with Mariko Aratani
14th February 2008
A diver does not abandon
a seaweed-filled bay...
Will you then turn away
from this floating, sea-foam body
that waits for your gathering hands?
- Ono no Komachi (834?-?)
From The Ink Dark Moon, translated by Jane Hirshfield with Mariko Aratani
Fura-fura
12th February 2008
I haven't been to the dojo for a month because I've been ill with one thing or another so I decided to make the effort to train today. I wasn't exactly feeling well this afternoon - feverish and a dodgy throat - but I was feeling better. And kyudo isn't exactly an aerobic martial art. Should be fine, I thought.
It turned out to be not such a great idea. Just firing two shots pushed the world into slow spin. Fura-fura, the Japanese call it - dizzywizzywhirlyswirly.
But it's Kawaguchi-sensei's birthday this Sunday and there was a presentation of a bouquet of flowers - all the students lined up in two rows, sitting with their feet under them in the formal seiza position - and a small party.
Various people contributed snacks and Murata-san bought a large box of doughnuts (he went round collecting 200 yen for them and the flowers; I hope he got all his money back).
Apparently, he ended up buying the doughnuts because he'd lost to Sakai-san in a match on Sunday. If she'd lost, she'd have been the one to make the trip to Mister Donut.
'I lost by one arrow,' said Murata-san. He drew himself up. 'But it's okay. I don't mind.'
It was a good idea to go to the dojo today, after all.
12th February 2008
I haven't been to the dojo for a month because I've been ill with one thing or another so I decided to make the effort to train today. I wasn't exactly feeling well this afternoon - feverish and a dodgy throat - but I was feeling better. And kyudo isn't exactly an aerobic martial art. Should be fine, I thought.
It turned out to be not such a great idea. Just firing two shots pushed the world into slow spin. Fura-fura, the Japanese call it - dizzywizzywhirlyswirly.
But it's Kawaguchi-sensei's birthday this Sunday and there was a presentation of a bouquet of flowers - all the students lined up in two rows, sitting with their feet under them in the formal seiza position - and a small party.
Various people contributed snacks and Murata-san bought a large box of doughnuts (he went round collecting 200 yen for them and the flowers; I hope he got all his money back).
Apparently, he ended up buying the doughnuts because he'd lost to Sakai-san in a match on Sunday. If she'd lost, she'd have been the one to make the trip to Mister Donut.
'I lost by one arrow,' said Murata-san. He drew himself up. 'But it's okay. I don't mind.'
It was a good idea to go to the dojo today, after all.
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