Thursday, January 1, 2009

Three Poems for the New Year




From ed markowski:


new
year's
day

it
is
as
it
was

winter
wind




Traditionally in Japan, New Year's day is the first day of spring. It is the time of new beginnings and, as such, it a day on which everybody's birthday is celebrated. Issa manages to capture all this and more in a mere 11 words:



New Year's day,
everything is in blossom
I feel about average
Issa
translated by Robert Hass





For Nanao
New Year's Day
searching the obituaries
to see if I am here
Ed Baker





best,
Don


PS. After the fact, Ed learned of the recent passing of Nanao Sakaki, to whom the poem is dedicated. Here's a link to a long interview with him.


3 comments:

  1. Very nice, i'm new here browsing and reading these inspiring pieces

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  2. nice poems. that Issa one is one of my favorites. still waiting for Ed Markowski to come out with a collection of haiku....

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  3. C: Thanks very much for the kind words ... I do hope you enjoy the work.

    Greg: Yes, it would be great to see a collection by Ed ... obviously, I love that Issa poem, too.

    Don

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