aikithereska
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It is my contention — and I admit, I appear to be alone in this — that most Japanese waka can be improved upon by adding the phrase ‘dog butt’ at the end. Before you laugh — no, seriously, before you laugh — let me give you an example.
The early 10th Century poet Ôshikôchi no Mitsune, while waiting to cross a river, made a sketch of a fellow traveler and his horse. He presented the man with the sketch and added this poem.
Pausing a moment
To gaze before crossing;
Scarlet leaves as
Rain do fall, yet
Add nothing to the waters.
A fine, evocative poem. Nothing at all wrong with it, and I’m sure the man was singularly pleased to be given such a fine gift from such a distinguished poet. But — and, again, this is just my personal opinion — I think this would have been the more touching gift:
Pausing a moment
To gaze before crossing;
Scarlet leaves as
Rain do fall, yet
Add nothing to the waters.
Dog butt.
See? There’s poetry…and there’s art…and there is a dog’s butt.
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