Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Franciscan Cell/ Reading Room

 The Reading Room (by Paul Williams)

Within this solitude 
knowledge may flow 
into my open heart.

Franciscan Cell, Italy

This is my oil painting of Friar Albert Da Sartean’s private cell in convent San Francesco, Fiesole, Italy. While viewing the cell through the grate of a locked door, I was awed by the golden light streaming into the room.  

My poem expresses feelings of one entering such a sanctuary. 

Listen to the introductionListen to the introduction. 
Aim phone camera at square on the above.


Sunday, April 21, 2024

Blue

Look there, a narrowing path. 

Once resplendent with morning glories; 

shall it be restored?

©Paul Williams 4/2024


Commentary:  In this poem, "a narrowing path" is analogous to one's life and the diminishing potential for fulfilling its desires.

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Frozen Land

 Frozen Land (by Paul Williams)

In this frozen land,
leaves fall softly, 
silently.  



Artist: Paul Williams
Oil on Canvas, 24"x12"
Inspired by Y. Buson ink drawing

I welcome your comments🙂!

Stillness

 Stillness  (by Paul Williams) 1/3/2024

In the stillness
whispers
a gentle breeze                                  



Artist: Paul Williams
Oil on Canvas, 24"x36"
inspired by Ryūho ink-wash


I welcome your comments🙂.

*This Secret World

 Secret World (by Paul Williams) 1/18/2024


My spirits lift;
they take flight
in this secret world.               
                                                                        Poetry Reading (audio)

Artist: Paul Williams
Oil on Canvas, 48"x24"

I welcome your comments🙂.

*I Have Returned to an Ancient Place

Greetings one and all from me, Paul Williams!!! Welcome back to my haiga blog!

It has been many years since I last posted.  Since then my life has taken many turns, some in anguish, others exhilarating, others beautiful and triumphant.  

I have traveled tens of thousands of miles, seen many new lands, studied and performed music in both Japan and America, studied at art schools and ateliers, and.now I paint.

Yes, and now I paint! (www.paulwilliamsfineart.com).

and yes, now I am closing-in on creating haiga 🙂.   

I have returned!!!

I have returned with renewed skills and new life experiences!  So here we go....
-----------------------------------

Ancient Place (by Paul Williams) 2/11/2024

I am in awe                             
of this ancient place.

The silence is stirring; 
 my mind wanders. 


Artist: Paul Williams

I welcome your comments🙂.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Kanjincho - Shamisen - and Hoka Priests

So what does Kanjincho, a Kabuki play, have to do with poetry and why am I writing about it today?

Two reasons - Kanjincho is based on a much older Noh play (Ataka) which includes much beautiful poetry (see here and here) and I am learning to play musical excerpts for Kanjincho on my shamisen!

After many hours practicing my shamisen I became curious about the story behind the music, especially since I was already (trying to) learning the music behind the story! Here is the story behind the play's title "Kanjincho" as I understand it in my own words:

The Story of Kanjincho
Set in mid 12th century, a Noble (Togashi) is charged with guarding a barrier gate; he must prevent the great warrior Yoshitune from passing - Yoshitune is rumored to be traveling disguised as a simple porter.

Of course Yoshitune IS disguised as a porter and his traveling companion Benkei pretends to be a Buddhist priest traveling the countryside asking for donations.

When they approach the gate, Togashi is immediately suspicious - he asks for their Kanjincho, a scroll listing the names of those who have donated so far.

Benkei, clever one that he is, produces a blank scroll and pretends to read from it. Of course, Togashi isn't fooled by these antics, but is amused and lets these guys slide.

In the picture, Benkei is in front and Togashi is in back.

There is of course far more to the story, I have really only described why the play was titled "Kanjincho".

There is an Akira Kurosawa film loosely based on this play; it is titled "The Men who Tread on the Tiger's Tail" - very fun movie to see!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Dark Passage - Saigyo

Poet-monk Saigyo wrote this mystical, and I feel very moving, thought-provoking poem:

"Passage into dark
mountains over which the moon
presides so brilliantly....

Not seeing it i'd have missed
this passage into my own past."

Autumn Storm

"Autumn, by eyes unseen,
Is heard in the wind's anger;

And the clash of river-reeds, the clamorous descent
Of wild-geese searching
The home-field's face,

Clouds shaped like leaves of rice,—all these
To watchful eyes foretell the evening storm."

From Noh Play "The Hoka Priests" (15th Century)

A River of Tears - TOG

"I was snagged upon a shoal
of a river of tears.
Was that the start of this drift
to deeper waters?"

From: Suma chapter of The Tale of Genji by Shikibu Murasaki
Trans: E. G. Seidensticker

Where shall I go - Kokinshu 952

"Where shall I go,
to what cave among the rocks,
to be free of tidings
of this gloomy world?"

Ref: Kokinshu 952
Trans: E. G. Seidensticker???

I envy the waves - by Ariwara Narihira

"Strong my yearning
for what I have left behind.

I envy the waves
that go back
whence they came."


Tales of Ise 7,
attributed to Ariwara Narihira

The sorrow of parting - by Murasaki Shikibu

"The sorrow of parting
brings such floods of tears
that the waters of this river
must surely rise."

Passage from Genji Monogatari
by Murasaki Shikibu, trans Seidensticker

Upon a mountain-side - by Zenchiku Ujinobu

Spoken by Hoka priest to a traveler:

"He who has seen upon a mountain-side,
stock still beneath the moon
the young deer stand in longing for his mate;

That man may read the writing,
and forget the finger on the page."

Written by Zenchiku Ujinobu (1414 - 1499)
trans: Arthur Waley

Imagery of Change

A spring has gone;

summer grown to age;
An autumn closed;
a winter come again,
Marked only by the changing forms
Of flowers and trees.

From “Shunkwan”, by Seami Motokiyo (1363 – 1384 A. D.)
Transl: Arthur Waley

I really enjoy this particular prose. You too? I feel such a powerful rhythm as I read this passage; maybe due to the moving imagery (seasons)?