standing alone
empty skies, and beyond—one hawk,
two white gulls, between riverbanks—lazing,
two white gulls, between riverbanks—lazing,
drifting wind-drifted—easy prey,
up and back, following—their own pleasure.
up and back, following—their own pleasure.
all grassblades—scorched in frost, still-hung
spiderwebs—the loom of origins, tangling
spiderwebs—the loom of origins, tangling
heaven—also human ways, and me
standing—toward the ten thousand sources of sorrow.
standing—toward the ten thousand sources of sorrow.
—tu fu (712-770)
translated from the chinese by david hinton, in my own hearing (2020)
Rendering of "Narcissus Garden," installation by Yayoi Kusama, Atlanta Botanical Garden, 2018