Tag Archives: Kenneth Rexroth

Almost Spring

14 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by in Denny's Diary, Poetry

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

From the 12th and 13th centuries, across the years,  this verse on Spring is from Kenneth Rexroth’s Written on the Sky – Poems from the Japanese and is by Fujiwara No Teika

The Spring night’s
Floating bridge of dreams
Breaks off. The clouds banked
Against the mountain peak
Dissipate in the clear sky.

I love the imagery of the ‘Floating bridge of dreams’ and have written similar thoughts in my 21st century prose. However the clarity of the form above brings a wonderful focus.

Very best wishes – Denny Bradbury

Love poem

14 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by in Denny's Diary, Poetry

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Further reading of Kenneth Rexroth’s Poems From the Japanese has led me to this very appropriate little poem which is full of meaning for St Valentine and all those who love.

 

Do not smile to yourself

like a green mountain

with a cloud drifting across it.

People will know we are in love.

Lady Ōtomo No Sakanoe

Best wishes – love and peace – Denny Bradbury

Kenneth Rexroth – Japanese Poetry

08 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Denny's Diary, Poetry

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

I received a beautiful gift of Kenneth Rexroth’s translations of Japanese poems for a recent birthday. The genius of their profound observations are breathtaking.  I have been reading them over and over again each time drawn into a different world.

Here is just one to whet your appetite:

How can I blame the cherry blossoms
for rejecting this floating world
and driftng away as the wind calls them?

Shunzei’s Daughter

Very best wishes – Denny Bradbury