Hokku 71
The nightingales under the boughs, Sighing now white, now red, Sing a pearl song Over the greyness of earth.
Yone Noguchi
The nightingales under the boughs, Sighing now white, now red, Sing a pearl song Over the greyness of earth.
A small night scene unfolds with nightingales hidden under branches, their song described as sighing “now white, now red.” That strange color language makes the music feel visible, as if the birds are breathing light into the dark air.
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