Be Not Defeated by the Rain

Because of my moving into a new apartment this month and because it is such a hot, crazy summer and because of a few other reasons, I really needed to relax this weekend. For me, cleaning up, doing housekeeping and cooking are good relaxation. I am a very handy girl?! ha ha

Any ways, today I would like to introduce "a vitamin" for my heart. Poems by Kenji Miyazawa. He was teacher, a poet, and an author. His works were found after his young death. Although Kenji has become one of the most widely read literary figures in Japan, I don't think he is known overseas well. Maybe?! maybe his poem Night On The Milky Way Train ?? Apparently, that book inspired Leiji Mastumoto's animation the Galaxcy Express 999.

You can learn about him at this great site called The World of Kenji Miyazawa. Like the site says, the keywords related to his world are Cosmology, love for people, animals, plants, the wind, clouds, light, the stars and the sun and all of the universe. I loved to read his fantasies when I was kid. He lived in Iwate prefecture and wrote about his land, but with each story sounding like tales of somewhere else, with no exact place. Roughly, his stories have no specific land, border or time. It is a world where everybody has in mind. Thinking of his social background ( most dark days before WW2 for Japan), I am really moved by his imagination and cosmopolitanism.

The poem which I would like to introduce today is a little different type from his standard, great fantasies. This poem was found in his pocket notes and looked like a first draft of his writing of the poem. Be Not Defeated by the Rain. [Ame nimo makezu]. This poem works for me when I have a heavy heart and soul.

Comments

[Wolf]

I will have to read his works. Thank you for introducing them to me. :)