Open Poetry #36 |
Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita |
OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita 17 August 2004 Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita Takahira Yashima Hiroyuka Tomita I want to learn Japanese not because of your excellent performances in winning the gold medal in the high bar at the Olympics in the magical city of Athens, but because of the music of your names and those of your three team members. I wish I could remember them all for I would say them - all five - one after the other over and over and again and again and again like a waterfall like a bed of colourful flowers like a Japanese painting … but I can’t remember them … and so I will have to spend years learning Japanese, and make music with “The vase is on the table,” but for now I will make do with Takahira-Yashima-Hiroyuka-Tomita-Takahira-Yashima-Hiroyuka-Tomita-Takahira-Yashima-Hiroyuka-Tomita - Owl |
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© Copyright 2005 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved | |||
iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Diana, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Is sound an amazing thing! |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
konichi wa, Diana I understand the way those names capture your ears |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
Traditional Japanese Poetry- An Anthology, Translator Steven D. Carter ISBN 0-8047-2212-9. The Essential Haiku, Versions of Basho, Buson, & Issa, by Robert Hass ISBN 0-88001-351-6 “The Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems” Translators: Jane Hirshfield Mariko Aratani ISBN 0679729585 |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you iliana. I am glad it gave you so much pleasure. Thank you Midnite Sun. I probably won't get down to learning Japanese for a few years (if I actually am able to make the time to do so at all) and I don't know one word of Japanese. Please tell me what "konichi wa" means and is its pronunciation phonetic (for an English person I mean), and if not please try to describe how to pronounce it. Thank you so much Huan Yi. I will note those books and try to buy them when I have sold a few more houses than average. The books sound fascinating. - Owl |
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Earl Brinkman Senior Member
since 2010-03-03
Posts 1183Osaka, Japan |
Yoku dekimashita. |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
I am both very honoured and very impressed to have been addressed in Japanese (even if you are swearing at me! - smiles.) I have absolutely no idea what Yoku dekimashita means and I would love to know. Owl |
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Earl Brinkman Senior Member
since 2010-03-03
Posts 1183Osaka, Japan |
As you now know it means good work! So once more let me say yoku dekimashita! |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you kindly for the reply, the translation and the kind words. May I ask you what Kacy (of Kacy's Garden by Margherita to which you replied - she passed away recently and devastated all of her friends)'s reply of "konichi wa" above means? I didn't get to learn Japanese - don't have time - but I love languages, especially the music of the words - although I am only fluent in 3 and have a grasp of one more and smatterings of another. Owl |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Hello Diana...I believe "konichi wa" means "hello" or "good day". Earl is new and I don't know that he would realize you may have asked him a question. |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
He did, Karilea. I emailed him at the same time, for that very reason and he told me what it meant in one of his email replies, but thanks anyway. Owl |
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