Poem
Toshio Nakae
THIS WORLD
Water and waterdo not mistake each other.
Water and water
know each other very well.
Fish and reeds
know that very well.
In this world, in other words,
all kinds of water live.
Wind and wind
do not mistake each other.
On the contrary, wind and wind
well know the difference between themselves.
Birds and trees, therefore,
call them by quite distinct names.
In this world, in other words,
all kinds of wind live.
These various countless waters
and various countless winds
cover the earth
and eagerly enwrap it ever more deeply.
They envelop this earth softly and strongly.
And then, are born, like chickens,
various countless things, some with, some without, shape.
© Translation: 2007, William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura
THIS WORLD
© 1997, Toshio Nakae
From: Inaka Shihen (Poems of the Countryside)
Publisher: Shichosha, Tokyo
From: Inaka Shihen (Poems of the Countryside)
Publisher: Shichosha, Tokyo
Poems
Poems of Toshio Nakae
Close
THIS WORLD
Water and waterdo not mistake each other.
Water and water
know each other very well.
Fish and reeds
know that very well.
In this world, in other words,
all kinds of water live.
Wind and wind
do not mistake each other.
On the contrary, wind and wind
well know the difference between themselves.
Birds and trees, therefore,
call them by quite distinct names.
In this world, in other words,
all kinds of wind live.
These various countless waters
and various countless winds
cover the earth
and eagerly enwrap it ever more deeply.
They envelop this earth softly and strongly.
And then, are born, like chickens,
various countless things, some with, some without, shape.
© 2007, William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura
From: Inaka Shihen (Poems of the Countryside)
From: Inaka Shihen (Poems of the Countryside)
THIS WORLD
Water and waterdo not mistake each other.
Water and water
know each other very well.
Fish and reeds
know that very well.
In this world, in other words,
all kinds of water live.
Wind and wind
do not mistake each other.
On the contrary, wind and wind
well know the difference between themselves.
Birds and trees, therefore,
call them by quite distinct names.
In this world, in other words,
all kinds of wind live.
These various countless waters
and various countless winds
cover the earth
and eagerly enwrap it ever more deeply.
They envelop this earth softly and strongly.
And then, are born, like chickens,
various countless things, some with, some without, shape.
© 2007, William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura
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