Sunday, January 01, 2006

This autumn evening

So where did the title to my blog come from? It is from a poem by Matsuo Bashō, a Japanese poet from the Edo period. The full poem is:

None is traveling
Here along this way but I
This autumn evening.

The Edo Period of old Japan is really quite interesting. The poetry is beautiful, haunting, and full of sorrow. Yet the simple descriptions of nature really evoke a powerful image in my mind. Another one my favorites from old Japan is the classic Diary of Lady Nijo, from the 13th century.