hopscotch and football
barbecues on miniature grills
wood smoke in the eyes
kebab in the air
a young man dives into the water
drums beat out a rhythm
hands clap
a young girl dances
simits and cay
and I get the last bench left
in the shade
a whole neighborhood is here
along with portable toilets
spring on parade
in ancient Balat
spring
Spring Night by Su Tung-p’o
Spring night–one hour worth a thousand gold coins;
clear scent of flowers, shadowy moon.
Songs and flutes upstairs–threads of sound;
in the garden, a swing, where night is deep and still.
translated by Burton Watson
Ariwara No Narihira on cherry blossoms
If there were no such thing
as cherry blossoms
in this world,
in springtime how untroubled
our hearts would be!
translated by Hiroaki Sato & Burton Watson
Leonard Durso 