Overheard a Conversation

Talking about the schedule, “Jyu-go no yoru” means “the night of (March) 15.”

It is also the title of a song, “a 15-year-old boy’s night” by Ozaki Yutaka 尾崎 豊(1965-92).

Who talks?

"Furusato wa katarukoto nashi." ふるさとは語ることなし

This is a famous phrase by a Japanese writer, Sakaguchi Ango 坂口 安吾(1906-55).

How do you translate it into English?

“My old hometown has nothing to talk about.” “My old hometown tells nothing.” “My old hometown has not said a word.”

I have taken Ango’s original phrase as these for a long time because “wa” in Japanese is usually put after the subject. For example, “Anata wa utsukushii.” あなたは美しい ― You are beautiful.

I saw its English translation in today’s newspaper.

"I never talked about my home."

I have many things I don’t know.

Not Knowing

You don’t know what love is.

John Coltrane played the song.

All I can say today is:

I don’t know what test is.

Each and All

Yesterday, I made profile about me for the first time.

This blog’s title “a leaf of grass” comes from “Leaves of Grass,” Walt Whitman’s one and huge book. A lot of poems make one book. Lots of leaves, branches, twigs (etc) make one tree. Various people live in one and huge world. I hope my blog would be a leaf, one of leaves.

“I think therefore I am.” I cannot satisfy myself with the philosophy. What am I? I am a leaf. I hope to be one of leaves of grass.  

Walkin'

“Have you run the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday?” she said.

“No, I haven’t.” I said.

I don’t have enough power to run the whole distance now, but at the same time I want to be a runner again. Furthermore, I want to be a writer.

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I can walk.  

What can I do to be a runner? I can walk.

What can I do to be a writer? I can walk.

Nothing starts without taking a step.

Walk and run. Walk and write.

Like a Bud Coming into Bloom

I found a bud in front of my house on Sunday, where the streets have no name.

“Blog is like a photograph,” someone said. I wanted to take a picture. But my wife went out with my camera, so my first try to publish a picture was postponed. I can tell at least, if I had not started my blog, I would not have noticed this small bud.  

Spring is coming to a town in Tokyo.

Where the Streets Have No Name

Soon, the Tokyo Marathon 2015 starts. The world is watching now, where the streets have a name, one of the largest cities in the world.

I have taken part in this event twice, 2010 and 2012. But if I stood on the starting line now, I could not reach the finish line. I might reach there by walking, but I'm sure I cannot run 42.195 km without stopping.

How about walking around near my neighborhood, where the streets have no name.

World Gone Wrong

Yesterday’s paper had the headline “Tokyo Marathon under heavy security.” Tokyo Marathon 2015 is going to be held tomorrow. But runners cannot bring plastic bottles. Receiving objects from family or friends is also banned.

Tokyo is a big city. The Tokyo road is for cars. People walk on both sides and joggers have to stop when traffic lights turn red. But the Tokyo road becomes a special place for citizen runners on this day. Only in a day, the Tokyo road changes into a kind of “Open Road,” an ideal place.

Noting fears of terrorism, yesterday’s paper told us “world gone wrong.”

Lunchtime story

My wife told me to use the microwave oven in teachers' room to warm my mochi-gome rice ball. On that day, I used it for the first time. Because mochi-gome was special.

The next day, Y teacher said to me, "Have you used the microwave oven today?" My reply was, "No, as usual."

We are teachers. We use one room. I have been working in this room for almost four years. I've never used the oven to warm my everyday rice ball, haku-mai rice ball.

Tomorrow, I want to use it to warm my usual rice ball. Thank you, Y T.



  

Afoot and light-hearted

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the new blog,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long white screen before me leading whatever I write.

Writing these lines, I think, "Am I really healthy?" "Do I feel free?"  
I want to be healthy.  I want to be free.

Walt Whitman might have written his Open Road as hope: "I want to be."

I start this blog from Japan on the Chinese New Year Day.
Happy new year!