Wednesday, November 16, 2005

post the twenty-first

So I heard a really cool poem today, and I thought I'd share it with anyone else who appreciates good poetry.

実るほど
頭を垂れる
稲穂かな

Isn't that just wonderful? I love haiku. I understand the vast majority of you won't speak Japanese, so I'll go ahead and provide a transliteration for you, as well as a translation.

minoru hodo
kobe o tareru
inaho kana

As the stalk of rice
Becomes more full, it lowers
Its head to the ground.

I just came up with that translation, and I'm pretty pleased with it. Basically, the poem says that those who have more should, by nature, be more humble. As you're given more, you lower yourself to the ground rather than holding yourself above everyone else.

Pretty neat, huh?

- Optimistic.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw you on campus the other day, but I didn't really look up until you were already past me. Then it was one of those weird situations where you turn around, and you're not sure if they saw you or if they even remember you, so calling out their name might be weird. So I didn't.

Hmm. Maybe next time.

Claire said...

You don't know who I am, but then again I don't really know who you are, so we are even. I don't usually like commenting in these kinds of forums, but here goes.
All I have to say is that is a beautiful poem. I think your translation is a very good one. Way to keep the syllabic meter in tact.

Redoubt said...

It is a lovely poem ^_^

JB said...

Great poem. That's a neat idea--the more you have the more down to earth you are. Good analogy. One question though: does that mean that people who aren't as gifted, talented, gorgeous, etc. get to be as light-headed and/or stuck up as they please?