Heavy air, sultry.
Mountains veiled.
Sunset.
mbfitzmahan, August 29, 2021.
Every day I look out to see a hint of mountains in the West. I’m not sure I’d be happy here if I didn’t have this small reminder of home. I miss my girls - I’m so happy when we talk on FaceTime or I can see one of my grandsons. I also miss talking to the woods, to Anshin. I miss the birds. Today sitting above the City, my mountains have disappeared. We could use some rain and some cooler weather.
In 1678 the haiku master, Bashou, returned to the country and was able to see the moon above the mountains.
Let’s write a poem!
The moon over the mountains
rarely seen in Edo. Matsuo Bashou
詠むるや
江戸には稀な
山の月 松尾 芭蕉
ながむるや
えどにはまれな
やまのつき
(note: In 1678 Edo was a huge city of more than a million people. The town had grown exponentially from 1603 as the center of government was moved from Kyoto to Edo, the home of the leader of the Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Massive numbers of daimyo, their families, and followers followed the Shogun to the city. Merchants also flowed in to provide services to the people. Because of the large amounts of wood and coal used for fuel, the city suffered from air pollution. (WKD-Matsuo Basho Archives)
