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Annet's Reviews > 100 Poems from the Japanese
100 Poems from the Japanese
by
by
Annet's review
bookshelves: beautiful-poetic, literature-pure, heartbreaking, asia, religion, wisdom-philosophical
Nov 27, 2016
bookshelves: beautiful-poetic, literature-pure, heartbreaking, asia, religion, wisdom-philosophical
On this road
No one will follow me
In the Autumn evening...
I received this book a couple of weeks ago, having read a review from one of my goodreads friends. And the poems are simply sublime, beautiful....poetic indeed. Most of them short and 'to the point' if you can say that about poetry. I like that. No long dragging poems, just like four lines of beautiful poetry. Just beautiful. The writers are monks, ladies, abbots, state advisers, emperors....
"It is common to stress the many ways in which Japanese poetry differs from English or Western European, or, for that matter, all other verse. .... It is possible to claim that Japanese poetry is purer, more essentially poetic....." This is a book to keep near you... on the arm of your chair... and every once in a while leaf through it and read a few poems, and discover new things...
There is a sequel, another 100 poems from the Japanese, I discovered, and there's 100 poems from the Chinese. I'm absolutely fascinated and will certainly find those books.... Highly recommended.
ÅŽe No Chisato is believed to have lived about 825 A.D.. Nothing else is known of him, although this poem is one of the most famous in Japanese literature...
As I watch the moon
Shining on pain's myriad paths,
I know I am not
Alone involved in Autumn.
No one will follow me
In the Autumn evening...
I received this book a couple of weeks ago, having read a review from one of my goodreads friends. And the poems are simply sublime, beautiful....poetic indeed. Most of them short and 'to the point' if you can say that about poetry. I like that. No long dragging poems, just like four lines of beautiful poetry. Just beautiful. The writers are monks, ladies, abbots, state advisers, emperors....
"It is common to stress the many ways in which Japanese poetry differs from English or Western European, or, for that matter, all other verse. .... It is possible to claim that Japanese poetry is purer, more essentially poetic....." This is a book to keep near you... on the arm of your chair... and every once in a while leaf through it and read a few poems, and discover new things...
There is a sequel, another 100 poems from the Japanese, I discovered, and there's 100 poems from the Chinese. I'm absolutely fascinated and will certainly find those books.... Highly recommended.
ÅŽe No Chisato is believed to have lived about 825 A.D.. Nothing else is known of him, although this poem is one of the most famous in Japanese literature...
As I watch the moon
Shining on pain's myriad paths,
I know I am not
Alone involved in Autumn.
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100 Poems from the Japanese.
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Reading Progress
November 13, 2016
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 13, 2016
– Shelved
January 12, 2017
–
Started Reading
January 15, 2017
–
27.14%
"I'll post a poem with each update :)
'The hanging raindrops
Have not dried from the needles
Of the fir forest
Before the evening mist
Of Autumn rises.'..."
page
38
'The hanging raindrops
Have not dried from the needles
Of the fir forest
Before the evening mist
Of Autumn rises.'..."
January 19, 2017
–
45.71%
"'In the Autumn mountains
The colored leaves are falling
If I could hold them back,
I could still see her.'"
page
64
The colored leaves are falling
If I could hold them back,
I could still see her.'"
January 21, 2017
–
61.43%
"When I went out in
The Spring fields to pick
The young greens for you
Snow fell on my sleeves."
page
86
The Spring fields to pick
The young greens for you
Snow fell on my sleeves."
January 25, 2017
–
72.86%
"'Others may forget you, but not I.
I am haunted by your beautiful ghost...'"
page
102
I am haunted by your beautiful ghost...'"
January 26, 2017
–
80.0%
"'I lie long abed
In the morning and listen
To the rivermen
Rowing on the Izumi river'"
page
112
In the morning and listen
To the rivermen
Rowing on the Izumi river'"
January 27, 2017
–
Finished Reading
January 28, 2017
– Shelved as:
beautiful-poetic
January 29, 2017
– Shelved as:
literature-pure
February 8, 2017
– Shelved as:
heartbreaking
February 15, 2017
– Shelved as:
asia
February 15, 2019
– Shelved as:
religion
February 17, 2019
– Shelved as:
wisdom-philosophical
Comments Showing 1-12 of 12 (12 new)
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message 1:
by
Glenn
(new)
Jan 13, 2017 02:47AM
Read this in my early 20s. Beautiful book.
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Start is very very beautiful... I'm taking in a few poems a day.... and reading them back. It's something very beautiful and different.
I read this a long time ago and remember it very well. I really loved it. Enjoy.
Read your comments on this so far and added it. Now to find a copy!
I ordered it online. And there's more 100 Japanese part II. 100 Poems from the Chinese.... This is beautiful so far! And a book I would keep on my shelves and reread a few poems every once in a while....
It's a wonderful book Annet! Not certain in some instances how faithful the translations are, but I love the poems. Rexroth was a fine poet in his own right!
Hey Greg! Translations are always difficult, and such a great expertise. How to capture the exact meaning and also the cultural aspect in language which is so hard to capture sometimes in another language. But I do feel Rexroth did a beautiful job.... Love the poems. I'll find Rexroth's own poetry.
I love this book. I've had a copy since I was nineteen and often dip in. Great review, Annet.
Hi Violet, I hear a lot of people here who have read this already and I've looked to find original publication date ('clothbound')... 1955! So I missed out on this one for a loooong time ;-) I've decided to try One hundred poems from the Chinese soon.
I've got the version shown in the thumbnail but the binding has gone and most of the pages are loose now!
Lovely review, Annet. Adding to my list.
Thanks Paula. As said... recommended, beautiful!
