Tuesday, April 5, 2016

A Bell, A Bird, and Me

Tsuchiya Koitsu print
Courtesy Hanga Gallery*

"A Bell, a Bird, and Me" by Misuzu Kaneko

No matter how I spread my arms
I can not fly at all,
But unlike me, a flying bird
Can not run fast on ground.

Though I rock my body back and forth
It makes no pretty sounds,
Yet unlike me, a ringing bell
Does not know many songs.

A bell, a bird, and also me,
All are different, all are good.



Thanks to Alex Fyffe of Entry No. 1 for his lovely translations of Japanese poetry and
for introducing me to this poem in particular.
Check it out.
 
 
Celebrate National Poetry Month!


*Hanga Gallery identified  this print as Temple Bell at Mii Temple, but I'm not sure that is correct. Can anyone confirm the actual title of this piece?

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