While reading a book on "ancient" poetry, I was inspired to write this one. |
I was reading a book of ancient romantic poetry and was struck by two in particular. That inspired the following: Ancient Love T'was nearly 1300 years ago That Otomo No Yakamuchi wrote: Late evening finally comes I unlatch the door And quietly await The one who greets me in my dreams. Romance and Fantasy were alive then As they are now and will forever be. About 1000 years ago Izumi Shikibu Shared these words with one he loved: When I think of you Fireflies in the marsh rise Lost to eternal longing Abandoning my body That tingling in the belly happened then As it does now and as it will forever. How many thousand poets Have written how many words? How many thousand subjects Have listened as bluebirds Sing to other bluebirds and As lovers walk hand in hand? How many smiles and tears were shared By how many souls who merely dared To open hearts and share and embrace? Poets write poems, singers sing songs Of a loving look or a beautiful face. There are no "rights" or "wrongs." True love is eternal, a spiritual thing. Fantasy is fleeting and allows us to sing And imagine. So all you poets write on! All you singers, until you've won, That one heart... Sing! All who try To become immortal by sharing their view Of the splendor in a glowing, evening sky Or the tingling result of an "I love you." Isn't that every poet's dream? To have someone read their words and beam Today, tomorrow, next month, next year... Or maybe in another century someone may hear Or read or speak as I have these words written millenia ago and set adrift In bottles to drift across the seas Of time and space in hopes to someday lift A spirit or a heart or an eager mind. Maybe a poet in a thousand years may find My words inspiring. What more is there? What more can we wish? That's why we share Our souls. That's why we bleed Our thoughts onto paper. That's why we sing. So that others will look and read... On the tiny chance our words might bring The feeling I had when I read What these two ancient men thought and said. |