PrologueThis senryu, from 1771, expresses my feelings after first attempting to negotiate with the boatman at Arashiyama for an outing on the river:
The customer looks, tries on without a purchase
and still the clever clothes merchant says
goodbye with utmost cordiality
We had had a long discussion but reached no agreement about departure time, price. What I wanted seemed impossible in the height of Ukai (cormorant fishing) season, yet as I left he yelled long and cordially after me as though we’d reached a million yen agreement.
The Weather IntervenesAfter consulting with other Hailstones, and further negotiating with the boatman, the date was set for Thursday, July 20. The rains, though, started to fall before Gion Matsuri (7/17) and continued, leaving the river in full spate. No boats on the river that night.
Rough roiling river
All boats hauled ashore—
When can hailstones sail?
We rescheduled for the following Tuesday, July 25. The rain eased off and mild summer airs prevailed…
The waters flow clearer
Still too fast and high
For poem writing
I walked by the river that evening. Back and forth plied an
earth mover…no boats yet.
Twilight colored mauve and pink
The dredge nears invisibility
Only its noise betrays its movements,
Shore to midriver, midriver to shore
Redistributing the bottom debris
After ten days of rain.
We rescheduled for the third time, for August 3.
At long last,
Hailstones on the RiverEight of us gathered at Hankyu Arashiyama station on a hot
afternoon.
Molten hailstones
Vaporizing into
Summer haze
We paid a visit to Ichitani Munagata Shrine, dedicated to female deities of the water, then descended to our boat. Candles were lit in the lanterns but their glow was not visible in the lingering daylight. It was suddenly cool as we entered the realm of the quiet River Oi between steep pineclad hills and were poled, almost silently, upstream to the rocks at the mouth of the Hozu Gorge. Keiko Yurugi had brought uchiwa but we didn't need them!
Following, in no particular order, are selected poems:
on the stream
sweet to my ears
the boat's gentle creaking
A heron
By the quiet mountain river
Fresh evening breeze
Darkening sky…
Jupiter over the mountain
romance
to the wild rhythm
of the fisherman's chant
cormorants plunge in
Across the water
Concession boats hawk their wares
The shrill stink of squid
Cormorants in a row
First quarter moon above
Downgorge breezes
Guyjin overboard…
At the weir the boat almost leaves
Without them
Torchlight blazing
Cormorants splash;
Blue half moon
Under firelight
cormorants dive for fish:
On the dim bank
sweethearts
after the fishing’s done
cormorants dry their wings
at the sputtering fire
Above Arashiyama
Jupiter conjunct with the Moon:
Hailstones on the river
At last we disembarked and walked downstream to Otoya, where we ate (though some had enjoyed
oden and
ikayaki earlier) and agreed to share our poems— of which those above are only a sampling.
Poets in order of their contribution to 'selected poems': Keiko Y, Mayumi K, Akito M, KY, John M, Mari K, Jane W, Mayumi K, Hisashi M, David M, JW.
Special thanks to Hisashi Miyazaki for his computer and patience!
(report by
Jane Wieman, 8/25/06)
