Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
| Original Title | 有明集 |
|---|---|
| Author | 蒲原 有明 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A haunting tapestry of emotion unfolds through fragmented visions of grief, memory, and ethereal beauty. A soul navigates landscapes of longing—turbulent seas, decaying gardens, and moonlit ponds—where nature mirrors inner turmoil. Shadows of loss linger: a father’s absence, love’s fleeting embrace, and spiritual desolation that dims the "soul’s sun." Vivid contrasts emerge—poppies wilt beside jasmine’s intoxicating scent; prayers mingle with whispers of doubt. Time blurs as dreams dissolve into reality: a jar of stagnant water reflects ancient sorrows, while summer’s haze thickens with unspoken desires. Each verse pulses with visceral imagery—a "dew of poison" glistens, "silence guards the dream," and autumn’s decay perfumes temple stones. Yet amid despair, fleeting moments of transcendence shimmer—a ship’s sail drifting toward an unknowable horizon, or moonlight that "floats and drifts from time to time." This lyrical journey invites readers into a world where anguish and beauty intertwine, urging them to wander its labyrinthine depths, where every shadow holds a story half-revealed. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP