![Madoka Mayuzumi[Poems of 17syllables]Title](../../images/text_s_e.gif)
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[Japanese]
Basking in the sun, a 100 year-old keeps looking at the mountain.A hundred year-old man is basking in the warm sun. He sits still in the sun staring at the ridgelines of a mountain as though he has turned into a big old tree or is meditating. But in his mind he must have deep thoughts of the past one hundred years.Not just looking at the mountain, he seems to be remembering, as he basks, the days of long ago or gazing at the present time from the far distant past. Even his basking has meaning because he has lived for a hundred years.
[season words] basking in the sun White breath, ran off to stop the quarreling.A man heard quarrelling somewhere, and he ran off, breathing white breath, intending to stop it. However, he has been gone for some time and, still hasnft come back.When someone goes off intending to stop a quarrel, it is often because he likes quarreling himself. Intending to stop the quarrel is only an excuse, the fact is that he would like to join the quarrel. Now that he has run off, perhaps he is in the center of the quarreling, or perhaps they may be using the quarrel as an excuse to drink together. His white steamy breath when he left so hurriedly showed his great expectation and excitement.
[season words] white breath Hands in the pockets, not a cloud over Mt. Fuji.The number one mountain rising straight up into the blue sky of a fine winter day, that is Mt. Fuji. Mt. Fuji is that special mountain to all Japanese. A man in kimono is standing still looking straight toward Mt. Fuji with his hands in his breast pockets.gTo put onefs hands in the breast pocketsh means to insert onefs hands into the sides of the kimono and rest them at onefs breast to keep them warm. This can only be done with a kimono. In the crisp air of the winter morning, a man with his hands in the breast pockets stands in silhouette against Mt. Fuji. The tension between those two can be felt in the new yearfs solemn atmosphere. No one but a Japanese person can feel this deep emotion when faced with Mt. Fuji.
New Yearfs visitor, looks up at the great tree for a while.Relatives, neighbors, and people with business connections visit each other to offer their congratulations for the New Year during this season. When visiting a superior, one will often take a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. And on this particular occasion, the visitor looked up at the large tree in the yard.It must be a tree several decades old that symbolizes the dignity of the house and great presence of the resident. Looking up at this great tree, the visitor feels strengthened in his or her resolutions for the year that has just begun, and is filled with respect and appreciation for his or her superior.
[season words] New Yearfs visitor The first scenery, one small boat added at the edge.The first scenery one sees on January 1st is called gthe first scenery.hMy hometown is surrounded by mountains and the sea. When I spend New Yearfs holiday at home I can see the first sunrise over the sea. There is always a small boat in view with Hatsu Island and Manazuru Peninsula. The boat is floating casually and it emphasizes a quietness and peace that enhances the happiness of this New Yearfs scene.
[season words] the first scenery translated by Mineko Azuma
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