薊 / Thistle


街角のたばこ屋跡の薊かな
thistles blooming—
at the street corner where
a tobacconist's once stood

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

歳時記の言葉vol.10 "衣更" / The seasonal words in Japanese Haiku vol.10 "koromogae"

衣更は季節に応じて衣服を変えることを指し、初夏を表す季語です。 往時の日本では、陰暦四月と十月の最初の日に、人々は衣装ダンスを入れ替えたものでしたが、それは宮中行事が起源でした。今でも多くの人がその伝統を継承していますが、かつてほど厳格に行われてはいません。現代では、おおむね五月中に衣装ダンスを冬物衣類から夏物に入れ替え、それを衣替と呼んでいて、人の衣類も気持ちも軽くさせてくれます。この時分が、日本では一年を通して最も過ごしやすいかもしれません。 The seasonal word "koromogae" refers to "the seasonal change of clothing", and denotes a early summer.  In ancient times of Japan, on the 1st day of the fourth and the tenth lunar months, people changed their wardrobes. It was originally an event of the Imperial Court. While many people continue with the tradition still now, it is not so strict as it used to be once. In these days, we change our wardrobe from winter wear to summer one in May on the whole, and we call it "koromogae". It makes our clothes and feelings lighter. These days might be the most delightful season in this country in the whole year.
Read more

歳時記の言葉vol.8 "虹" / The seasonal words in Japanese Haiku vol.8 "Niji"

"虹"は英語の"rainbow"を指し、夏を意味します。 日の光が背後から差し、水滴が待機中に浮遊している時、虹と呼ばれる色付いた円弧を空に見ることができます。虹は色を順序良く並べています。円弧の一番内側の部分は紫色で、一番外側は赤色をしています。虹が完全な姿を現した場合、紫の赤の間に、藍色、青色、緑色、黄色、オレンジ色の中間色を見ることができます。この元になる虹に加え、外側に二番目の円弧が見えることがあります。日本では二重虹と呼ばれ、虹の傍題の一つになっています。 The seasonal word "Niji" refers to "rainbow" in English, and denotes summer. We can see a colored arc "rainbow" in the sky when the sun shines from behind and drops of water are floating in the air. The arc arranges the colors in order. The most inner part of the arc is colored purple, and the most outer one is colored red. If the arc appears completely, we can see the intermediate colors, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange between purple and red. In addition to this original arc, we often see its second layer. Japanese call the doubled arc "hutae niji" as a subtitle of "niji".
Read more

歳時記の言葉vol.12 "木下闇" / The seasonal words in Japanese Haiku vol.12 "koshita yami"

"木下闇"は直訳すると"darkness under trees"となる、夏を表現する季語です。 夏の日本では、木々の茂みが濃くなり、その下に、昼間でも微かに暗い空間ができるものです。その闇は影でできるもので、漆黒の闇とは異なります。明るいところから森に足を踏み入れると、視界が暗くなるものです。"木下闇"はその暗さ自体と同様に、明るいところとの感覚の違いも表します。芭蕉以前の古来から伝わる言葉です。 The seasonal word "koshita yami" can be translated literally as "darkness under trees", and expresses summer. During the Japanese summer, clumps of trees grow thickly, and form slightly darker spaces under them even in the daytime. The darkness is a shadowy darkness, and differs from pitch-darkness. When we set foot in a forest from a light place, our sight dims the lights. "Koshita yami" refers to the darkness itself and the difference in feeling as well. The word has its origin in ancient times before Basho.
Read more