Open Road

“Song of the Open Road” is one of Walt Whitman’s long poems.

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

From this first line, it goes on beyond 200 lines.

Why did Whitman say “open” to describe the road?

Are roads essentially open? Roads may be closed sometimes, but closed roads are not roads. The combination of “open” and “road” sounds too natural like red apples, hot coffee or cold winter.

I imagine Whitman’s open road as a place where people become open.

Around the middle of this poem, in line 107, we are rightly charged.

This “we” are strangers on the road. Each one walking on Whitman’s open road becomes open to each other and “I” become “we.”

The Open Road sounds great because it changes “me” into “us.”    

After the Mistake

Don't be afraid of human beings. 
Move your body.
Just express yourself.

On and Off

I live in the Mitaka City. My town has a famous park, Inokashira Park. 

I walk through the park to go to work from Monday to Friday, but I don’t walk in and around the park on Saturday and Sunday.

I want to live “On and Off” life. No more “On and On” life.

Advice for Students (3)

Busy days. I might not come home before midnight, so I post it in the morning.

Advice for students (3)

Enjoying English is more important than studying it.

Reading: Look for something you want to read, your “own” textbook. You can read.

Listening: The sound of English makes the beauty of its culture. Listen to songs.

Speaking: Even if you don’t have a chance to talk, you can read aloud by yourself.

Writing: Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Move your hand. Just write.

Advice (2)

Two straight nights of taxi after work. Busy days, so I write.

Advice (2)
The most essential is to enjoy English.

The word "enjoy" consists of "en" and "joy."
"En" means "give."  So, I can tell you how to enjoy.
You give yourself joy.
Joy does not come from heaven. It comes from your attitude.

(to be continued) 

Advice for English Learners

Memorizing words and understanding the grammar might be necessary to be a diligent student in the classroom. But you don’t have to be diligent when you use English in your life.

(to be continued)

"The Night"

Ozaki Yutaka’s debut single “Jyu-go no yoru” 15の夜 was released in 1983.  It is called “the Night” officially in English.

In this song, a 15-year-old boy steals a motorbike and runs away during the night.   ♪盗んだバイクで走りだす♪

He protests against school and home, teachers and parents. He fights against them.

Even now, there are many students who don’t want to go to school, but I think the way they protest has changed. Now “hutoko” or “hikikomori” (withdrawing in one’s room) is a problem of Japanese school.

Ozaki caught the hearts of teenagers in the Showa era. I was one of them. (Of course, I didn’t steal a motorbike!)

The time has changed. Now’s the Heisei era.

How does it feel to listen to “the Night” for you, one of many 15-year-old boys who hate school now?