Page:Anthology of Japanese Literature.pdf/319

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Three Poets at Minase

315

The charms of her appearance.
Even plants and trees
Share in the bitter grief of
The ancient capital.

Nothing remotely suggests
The charms of its appearance.
Even plants and trees
Share in the bitter grief of
The ancient capital.

Here we have two poems of entirely different meaning linked together: the first concerns a lover’s delight in his mistress, the second the grief of the poet over the destruction of the capital. This kind of multiple stream of consciousness is a uniquely Japanese literary development, and was fostered in part by the ambiguity of the Japanese language, which permits many varieties of word play and is extremely free in the use of pronouns.

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Text	Commentary
Snow yet remaining The mountain slopes are misty— An evening in spring. Sōgi	Early spring (mist). Allusion: “When I look far out, the mountain slopes are misty. Minase River—why did I think that only in autumn the nights could be lovely?” (by Emperor Gotoba).
Far away the water flows Past the plum-scented village. Shōhaku	Spring (plum blossoms). Description continued. Water.
In the river breeze The willow trees are clustered. Spring is appearing. Sōchō	Spring. Description continued, far scenery. Water.
The sound of a boat being poled Clear in the clear morning light. Sōgi	Water. Dawn. Near scenery.