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mirrorofneptune's review
reflective
4.0
The poems slapped ngl. Spirituality and science are often framed as opposites, but here we’ve got a lot of Buddhist ideology alongside a lot of scientific concepts, and they work in perfect harmony. Quite a few of the poems have stuck with me, though I do resent having learned some physics terms against my will…
pasarmalam's review
WHAT A COWARD I am.
Because the rain at daybreak
beat down the rice stalks around here,
I work like mad,
I try to distract myself from the fear.
But look, again in the west
the black death floats up.
In the spring, in the spring,
was that not bright love itself?
The complexity of Miyazawa Kenji's writing totally blown my mind. In a glance, it has similar vibe as the other Japanese classical poetry out there, but you can also tell how much Miyazawa poured his feeling into this. I might not be a big fan of poetry myself, but these are beautiful masterpieces.
bakudreamer's review
2.0
Just read the ( good ) introduction, biographical parts. Has a good glossary
beththebookdragon's review
4.0
I've been fascinated by Miyazawa (the book's title follows the Japanese tradition of listing the surname first) since my first exposure to a short anime video based on his life.
The substantial (nearly 50 pages) "Introduction" by editor Hiroaki Sato is a well-rounded biography of Miyazawa not only as a poet and writer but as a agricultural scholar, teacher, idealist, and Buddhist--all of which have a profound effect on his poetry. His fascination with science and nature, passionate but often unsuccessful efforts to improve the lives of peasants while living somewhat like one, and endearing (though annoying to many) idiosyncracies drew me in further.
The poetry itself is much like the man: rich with specific terms from geology and physics, nature imagery from rice paddies to the stars, strong emotion, and a devout love of science, beauty, and the worth of all creation. I'm sure some of Miyazawa's style and meaning is lost in translation despite the translator's knowledge of languages and the poet himself but so much shines through as strong and bright as summer sunlight.
The substantial (nearly 50 pages) "Introduction" by editor Hiroaki Sato is a well-rounded biography of Miyazawa not only as a poet and writer but as a agricultural scholar, teacher, idealist, and Buddhist--all of which have a profound effect on his poetry. His fascination with science and nature, passionate but often unsuccessful efforts to improve the lives of peasants while living somewhat like one, and endearing (though annoying to many) idiosyncracies drew me in further.
The poetry itself is much like the man: rich with specific terms from geology and physics, nature imagery from rice paddies to the stars, strong emotion, and a devout love of science, beauty, and the worth of all creation. I'm sure some of Miyazawa's style and meaning is lost in translation despite the translator's knowledge of languages and the poet himself but so much shines through as strong and bright as summer sunlight.
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