Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Cees Nooteboom

Bashõ III

On his hat of cypress he wrote: Nowhere in this universe
have I found a settled home.
Death took his hat off.
As he should. But the line stayed with us.
Only in his poems could he live.
A little time and you will see the cherry blossoms of Yoshino.
Set your sandals under the tree, lay your brushes to rest.
Tuck your staff in your hat, fashion the water in lines,
The light is yours, so too is the night.
A little while, cypress hat, and you too will see them,
The snow of Yoshino, the ice cap of Sado,
The island that embarks for Sorën over gravestone waves.

Bashõ III

Bashõ III

Nergens in dit heelal heb ik een vaste woonplaats
Schreef hij op zijn hoed van cypressen. De dood nam zijn hoed af,
Dat hoort zo. De zin is gebleven.
Alleen in zijn gedichten kon hij wonen.
Nog even en je ziet de kersebloesems in Yoshino.
Zet je sandalen maar onder de boom, leg je penselen te rusten.
Berg je stok in je hoed, vervaardig het water in regels.
Het licht is van jou, de nacht ook.
Nog even, cypressehoed, en ook jij zult ze zien,
De sneeuw van Yoshino, de ijsmuts van Sado,
Het eiland dat scheepgaat naar Sorën over grafstenen golven.
Close

Bashõ III

On his hat of cypress he wrote: Nowhere in this universe
have I found a settled home.
Death took his hat off.
As he should. But the line stayed with us.
Only in his poems could he live.
A little time and you will see the cherry blossoms of Yoshino.
Set your sandals under the tree, lay your brushes to rest.
Tuck your staff in your hat, fashion the water in lines,
The light is yours, so too is the night.
A little while, cypress hat, and you too will see them,
The snow of Yoshino, the ice cap of Sado,
The island that embarks for Sorën over gravestone waves.

Bashõ III

On his hat of cypress he wrote: Nowhere in this universe
have I found a settled home.
Death took his hat off.
As he should. But the line stayed with us.
Only in his poems could he live.
A little time and you will see the cherry blossoms of Yoshino.
Set your sandals under the tree, lay your brushes to rest.
Tuck your staff in your hat, fashion the water in lines,
The light is yours, so too is the night.
A little while, cypress hat, and you too will see them,
The snow of Yoshino, the ice cap of Sado,
The island that embarks for Sorën over gravestone waves.
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