A famous Japanese poet, "Machi Tawara (俵万智)," describes the lovebird's meeting in her poem like below:
The meeting must have been impossible if their births didn't coincide in history. Only 100 years of difference in their birthdays would make it impossible to meet each other. The probability of their meeting is extremely small because they have to live in the same era before they meet in this world. The poet sings of a glorious life like this. As may be expected of the poet, her way of thinking is different from that of ordinary people. However, I was vaguely thinking that her tale might be true.
The other day, this happened:
There's Matsuyama Castle in the heart of my home town. It was constructed 400 years ago, taking 25 years. The original features of the castle have been maintained by timely restorations and fundamental reconstructions in every century. The castle has been under reconstruction these past 2 years. During the renovation, a lot of parts of the castle were replaced in order to conserve the original features for the next 100 years. In the process of replacement, to my surprise, two pictures were found on the ceiling. A samurai was painted on the wooden ceiling. It is estimated that it was drawn 200 years ago. It was big, local news. Who painted it? Who is in the picture? One picture is an overhead view of a samurai's head. It might have been drawn by a carpenter who worked on the ceiling. That samurai might have been a kind of official of the renovation committee in those days. The other picture is a portrait of a samurai. I felt close to this unknown painter and the drawn samurai. I felt a sense of fun for the painter to see the picture directly and thought he and I might have been good friends if I had been born in the same era.
They disappeared into history. I can't meet and talk with them but if I had enough imagination, I might be able to exchange feelings with them. Human history had already begun and I happened to be born after World War 2. I really feel that I am in the big stream of history. I'd like to visit various historical sites all over the world and talk with those who have gone before me. Can I hear the voice of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo? Can I hear the voice of Robert Scott at the South Pole? Can I see famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Renoir drawing or walking at Le Bateau-Lavoir on the hill of Montmartre?
What lessons can I learn from my forerunners?
(Vocabulary)
lovebird 仲の良い恋人同士、おしどり夫婦
sing 〈人・功績など〉 を詩で賛美する
sing of somebody/something ＜…＞を（詩で）賛美する
tale (架空・伝説上の) 話, 物語
enovation 〔古い建物・部屋・家具などの〕修復、修理、リフォーム： 革新、刷新
if I had enough imagination 想像をたくましくすれば
Le Bateau-Lavoir 洗濯船
パリのモンマルトルにあった安アパートの名前。 1904年から1909年まで、パブロ・ピカソが恋人のフェルナンド・オリビエと共にここに住んだ。
the hill of Montmartre モンマルトルの丘
forerunner 先駆者、先人； 前兆、前触れ、兆候
Matsuyama Castle (KW:松山城 改修)
Comments