"Oh, tranquility"...
...is the first line of one of Bassho's best known poems:
閑けさや 岩にしみいる 蝉の声 (Shizukesa ya/ Iwa ni shimiiru/ Semi no koe)
Oh, tranquility
Penetrating the very rock.
A cicada's voice.
The voice that penetrated the very rocks along the path up to the Japanese Garden last Thursday wasn't the cicada's, but the modern avatar, the gas-powered leaf blower. Why the groundskeeping staff couldn't have done that work on Monday when the garden is closed, I don't know.
The cold sunshine illuminated the maple golds and reds, though, as bright and bitter as the east wind that carried from the polar high that loured over the continent straight down the gorge and up against the West Hills.
物いへば 唇寒し 秋の風 (Mono ie ba/ Kuchibiru samushi/ Aki no kaze)
When you say something
The lips feel cold.
The autumn wind.
The value of membership is in being able to enjoy the quiet - well, the normal quiet - of this place before the crowds arrive. I've been coming here for ten years or more, and the carefully curated wilderness never fails to find a peaceful place within me.
Less leaf blowers help with that, mind.
The fall color is perhaps the most popular time for the garden, when photographers descend in troops to make art from the maples. Apparently the single most popular spot is "The Tree", the big red maple alongside the upper pond. So much so that the staff has barred off the Tree and posted a set of rules to keep the fighting down to a manageable level.
夏草や 兵どもが 夢の跡 (Natsu kusa ya/ Tsuwamono domo ga/ Yume no ato)
The summer grass
All that remains
Of the dreams of the warriors.
Or photographers, for that matter.
I with my little phone was no threat to their massive lenses.
I took my snapshots, paused, and passed on.
As did she.
粽結ふ 片手にはさむ 額髪 (Chimaki yu/ Katate ni hasamu/ Hitai gami)
While holding the Chimaki dumpling
Her other hand held
Her bangs.
2 comments:
There seems to be nothing better in creating fumes, noise and general destruction of the peace than a leaf blower. And the damn things seem to go on for an eternity. I don't think I have ever heard one operating for less than 5 (or even 10) minutes! At least a very s*^&y bike makes some noise and pollution but moves on. The leaf blower is there to stay going over the same patch of land endless times while seemingly making no progress against the leaves >_<
I am not even convinced that they are any better than leaf rakes in collecting leaves (aside perhaps from among trees). It just seems that nobody bothers anymore with rakes and people have forgotten of the humble rakes and that they could actually be better (while at the same time not ruining everyones day)...
I think one of my first directives on assuming dictatorial power over the earth will be to ban leaf blowers. Or if the gardeners can convince me of their actual usefulness, I will in my all-knowing benevolence allow them to use them, but only with a very strict time limit and only after they have filled in a multitude of forms certifying that the use of a leaf blower was required for that occasion and was more efficient than a rake (to make sure that they consider using a rake and that they suffer as much as the rest of us will if they end up using a blower)
They were annoying...up to a point where it got ridiculous, and then it was just sort of funny.
I'll admit to having one, powered with an extension cord. It's noisy but nowhere near the insane racket of the gas-powered versions. And it sure as hell beats raking the damn things when they're sopping wet (which basically means pretty much the entire time you NEED to rake them...)
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