Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
| Original Title | とんぼの眼玉 |
|---|---|
| Author | 北原 白秋 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | This enchanting collection weaves lyrical vignettes through a child’s unfiltered gaze, where dragonflies’ jeweled eyes mirror kaleidoscopic worlds and fireflies become lantern-bearing spirits guiding twilight adventures. Blending whimsy with subtle melancholy, the verses capture fleeting moments—a festival’s riotous drums echoing under crimson skies, a lonely goldfish pond shimmering with unspoken longing, and stolen jujubes that hum with secret life. Beneath playful rhythms lies a poignant plea: to reclaim the raw wonder of childhood before it’s stifled by adult logic. Here, snowflakes transform into swarming insects, crabs run barbershops, and sparrows weave cloth in hidden thickets—each poem a portal to a Japan where nature pulses with magic. Yet shadows linger: forgotten lullabies, mothers who never return, and the quiet ache of growing up. The author crafts not mere nursery rhymes but incantations, urging readers to shed worldly pretenses and rediscover the world as children do—where every dewdrop holds a universe and imagination outshines reason. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP