The Gourd Flowers Bloom Poem by Masaoka Shiki

The Gourd Flowers Bloom

Rating: 5.0


the gourd flowers bloom,
but look-here lies
a phlegm-stuffed Buddha!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Fabrizio Frosini 03 November 2016

''Sap from the sponge-gourd (hechima) was used as a medicine to stop coughs or break up phlegm, but his family had been too busy ministering to the other symptoms of Shiki’s final illness to remember to collect the sap on the night of the fifteenth, as prescribed. Now the vine is a flower. Shiki, sensing that nothing can cure him or even alleviate his pain, sees himself objectively (and, even with a touch of haikai humor) as a Buddha-to-be choking on his phlegm.'' [Donald Keene]

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Fabrizio Frosini 03 November 2016

The sponge gourd has flowered! Look at the Buddha Choked with phlegm. [Masaoka Shiki - Translated by Donald Keene]

13 0 Reply
Brian Jani 13 July 2014

very well written three liner poem.keep up the good work.

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