island in Lake Vuoksa, on the Karelian Isthmus separating Russia and Finland: photo by Dmitry A. Mottl, 2009
Dusk falling, and sadness
Hsieh T'iao (464-499): Viewing the Three Lakes, English version by Barry Taylor, 2015
Small island in Lower Saranac Lake, Adirondack Mountains: photo by Mwanner, 2007
Panoramic View of the Seven Rila Lakes, Rila Mountains, Bulgaria: photo by Anthony Ganev, 1 July 2007; image by Fir0002, 13 October 2008
The first turn of the Yangtze (Changjiang = Yangzi Kiang), at Shigu, Yunnan Province: photo by Jialiang Gao, 2003
View towards four of the Seven Rila Lakes -- Dolnoto, Ribnoto, Trilistnika and Bliznaka -- in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria: photo by Ivelin Minkov, 17 September 2006
7 comments:
Difficult time here, particularly grateful therefore to the long distance company of brilliant friends made through this blog -- thank you Barry!
Wonderful poem and translation; wonderful having you as a friend, Tom.
Dear TC: I'm always astonished at the breadth of your knowledge, your range of interests, and the keenness of your eye. I feel that opening the "Beyond the Pale" door every day has taught me so much about people and the planet we're hurling around on. Thank you for all that.
Tom, I love serendipities. Today's lakes and the sage poem, and just as I was editing this poem for a book. Would that our dire crises could catch a bit of rainwater/glacier melt/whatever, and just lie back in the rocks and soak in the air and sunlight... (with an echo of Vassilis' sentiments as always...)
__________________
ON A LAKE
On a lake as large as
heaven the
ducks are as tiny
as dots
Whoever let the rank air into this
perfect perfection?
A thief with rainbow
gauze over half his
face who walks
sideways and takes
daylight with him
But just one window thrown
up in wonder
scatters the butterflies
until they form again
around the sleeping maiden’s
head
All the old fables and tales
have made the front
pages of our un-modern world
All the final adumbrations
the fire alarm fires
of the heart
and the poorest heart’s rejoicings
When we lift our eyelids beyond their
usual frames
we notice green vineyards
that go on into the indefinite
for miles beyond what
human eyesight can
encompass
and angels’ song is most
pleasant under a
tree you’ve planted yourself from a
sprig from the sidewalk
and the hooing and wooing that
goes on in their domain
filtering down through the
branches of that
tree in excited
birdsong
_________________________
7/9/15
watching those wonderful views and reading those lines we can say "life is beautiful" and more when someone makes us see it...thanks Tom!
Barry Taylor’s rendering of Hsieh T'iao seems perfect. What gorgeous photos! A friendship remembered and renewed is as beautiful as an autumn day.
Tom,
And we are grateful to have you. And this roomful of lakes.
Post a Comment