Fifteen Poets of Modern Japan/Akiko Yosano
Akiko Yosano
1
Not knowing love,
I sought beauty in God.
Now I see the beauty of heaven
And the beauty of earth
In you.
I sought beauty in God.
Now I see the beauty of heaven
And the beauty of earth
In you.
2
As I behold the rainbow
It seems that I look upon
Things I have lost
Or things I could not get.
It seems that I look upon
Things I have lost
Or things I could not get.
3
Goodbye, then,
If you will go.
Your youth will be spent alone,
In a cold, rocky place,
And you will remember with sadness
The sunshine of spring.
If you will go.
Your youth will be spent alone,
In a cold, rocky place,
And you will remember with sadness
The sunshine of spring.
4
After our parting
I had not walked thirty steps
Along the meadow path
Until the autumn flowers
Began to resemble your face,
Which I shall never see again.
I had not walked thirty steps
Along the meadow path
Until the autumn flowers
Began to resemble your face,
Which I shall never see again.