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kaite1914's review
I was unable to finish it before I moved away from the library I got it from, but I did like what I read and would like to read it again
steve_t's review
4.0
This is the longest book of poetry I have ever read. It is beautiful and allows for the great scope of change in Japanese poetry.
My personal favourite poem was, In Praise of Sake by Otomo No Tabito. I just love the line, "Rather than be a so-so human being, I'd like to be a sake jar and get steeped in sake"
I really enjoyed the poetic form, Renga, and have discovered new poets I want to check out, like Ishikawa Tabuboku and Tomioka Taeko.
I am always concerned about translations, especially regarding poetry due to importance of sound. This anthology though did win the PEN Translation Prize in 1982. I'm still concerned, but I have nothing to compare it to, so I am trusting the prize. It does read beautifully though.
The biggest issue for me is that the first thousand years sounds very similar. There were constant metaphors to the Autumn moon and flowers, and at one point, all that sentimentality, with the same metaphors made me less emotionally invested. At times their love seemed as powerful as a flood, but once you realize that it was a technique or an allusion to a previous poem, it became harder for me to be invested. I would admire their skill more than their emotion.
However, reading love poetry from a thousand years ago does put you in a particular mood, a reminder that everything, including the most powerful of emotions, will end. It puts one's own life into perspective.
My personal favourite poem was, In Praise of Sake by Otomo No Tabito. I just love the line, "Rather than be a so-so human being, I'd like to be a sake jar and get steeped in sake"
I really enjoyed the poetic form, Renga, and have discovered new poets I want to check out, like Ishikawa Tabuboku and Tomioka Taeko.
I am always concerned about translations, especially regarding poetry due to importance of sound. This anthology though did win the PEN Translation Prize in 1982. I'm still concerned, but I have nothing to compare it to, so I am trusting the prize. It does read beautifully though.
The biggest issue for me is that the first thousand years sounds very similar. There were constant metaphors to the Autumn moon and flowers, and at one point, all that sentimentality, with the same metaphors made me less emotionally invested. At times their love seemed as powerful as a flood, but once you realize that it was a technique or an allusion to a previous poem, it became harder for me to be invested. I would admire their skill more than their emotion.
However, reading love poetry from a thousand years ago does put you in a particular mood, a reminder that everything, including the most powerful of emotions, will end. It puts one's own life into perspective.
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