Pathway to Japanese Literature
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Farewell to My HometownAuthor: Murō Saisei
| Original Title | 故郷を辞す |
|---|---|
| Author | 室生 犀星 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a secluded countryside home, a solitary narrator observes the quiet rhythms of rural life—swarms of red dragonflies, an unopened pomegranate, and sweetfish fading from the river—each detail mirroring their introspective solitude. Old friends visit, but conversations feel strained, revealing a growing emotional distance as nostalgia clashes with weariness. The narrator’s contemplations deepen through encounters with a tea master’s austere garden and a misshapen pear, symbols of beauty warped by isolation. Winter’s arrival amplifies their restlessness: snow muffles the landscape, echoing their stifled longing for connection. Memories of Tokyo’s vibrant streets contrast sharply with the decaying charm of Kenrokuen Garden and moss-clad stones, embodying a tension between retreat and reintegration. As frost etches the mountains, the narrator resolves to depart, burdened by melancholy yet drawn to renewal. Their farewell lingers in fleeting moments—a salmon’s iridescent scales, a mother’s fragile laughter over cards—capturing a year suspended between attachment and escape, where every stone and leaf whispers both refuge and restraint. |
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