Japanese Influence

Acend Fuji; Descend Anew

Ascend (2)

Encounter, thrive (4)

Elevated senses (6)

Incomprehensible silence (8)

Conquered (2)

Descend (2)

Rough adventure (4)

Eerie prescience, twilight (6)

Silhouette figures, stalking eyes (8)

Fuji (2)

While ascending Mt. Fuji, I had encountered many obstacles that were very challenging, however I was able to thrive off my motivation. My senses were elevated, to a level I had never experienced. While reaching the top, I had noticed this silence I have never knew existed, and from there I knew I had conquered both the mountain, and my own mind and bodies capabilities.

While descending, it was getting very dark, and uncertainties had followed. My mood changed from experiencing euphoria, to the dark unknown of the cliffs. The adventure turned very rugged, while bright eyes stalked me, I had noticed the outlines of animals that made unnerving sounds.

Haiku: Tatami Bugs

Infesting, fearing (5)

Nihon, Rampant, Dani mite(7)

Itching insomnia (5)

A comedic, yet epidemic problem in Japan is the Dani, which live in the tatami mats in houses. These bugs leave itchy red bite marks on you and come from harvest in the rainy season. My experience with these were seldom, however one night alone with these and I was traumatized and left without any sleep.

Rondelet: Purposefully Aimless

The memories (4)

Color gradient of sky tree (8)

The memories (4)

Peaceful, calm Sumida river (8)

The worlds tallest tower, free (8)

Standing amongst, gazing at thee (8)

Tanka: Breathing in the day that finds me new

Purification (5).

Hanami, natsubate (7)

Beautiful biwa (5)

Konbini bento delight (7)

As time has its way with me (7)

Process of purification before viewing flowers. Sacrificing body in the summer heat from exhaustion while being healed by the sounds of a beautiful Japanese instrument, and engorged with the tastes of a bento with summer exclusive ingredients. As time passes and has its way with me.

Creative Collection & Artist Statement

My creative process stemmed from a collection of memories from my past experience of studying abroad in Japan at Doshisha University, Kyoto. I had also visited Osaka, Nara, Yugawara, Hakone, and Tokyo, which are also integrated into their respective poems or have influenced a school of thought I may have learned about. My goal was to explore different types of poems with a common theme, to portray many different types of emotions, experiences, language, and observations I had while I was there.

Ookini, meaning ‘thank you’ in Kyoto dialect, was a tribute to the country for teaching me so much and is displayed throughout the poem as gratitude. The poem reflected my many visits to different temples, shrines, gardens, and observations of the nature, and religious aspects of the culture and allowed me to display my words without weighing the pros and cons, but instead allowing the reader to follow my path of adventure. I chose to pick a memory prose poem for this because I did not have a main emotion throughout, and is mainly experimental in length for the intended purpose of having a lot to say; because I spent the most time there on my trip.

As for the Cinquain pair, I had climbed Mt. Fuji and needed to write about it in two aspects. While still keeping the integrity of my emotions, I decided to write two poems with different outlooks on the experience instead of providing a main emotion for the entire experience.

Attached with these main poems, I have supplied a Haiku, Rondelet, and Tanka as supplemental pieces for a look into “the daily experiences” a person living in Japan would have, and can relate to.