Wisdom and the Grove
RI Kor
In my youth, long ago, I used to read French poetry and compare it with the original text. The words that resonated with me the most were those of Verlaine: "Wisdom."
He sang quietly of the grove and of his own regretful life.
Although I was drawn to this world, I had no idea how to find the hope that Verlaine sings about amid the weight of the unique era of modernity.
Thirty years later, when the topic of modern Europe came up at a lecture, I asked a question about Rimbaud. When I heard the explanation, I felt that my difficult question was beginning to clear up.
To put it simply, modernity could ask questions within itself, but perhaps no one could answer them. Verlaine's hope certainly existed, but it was outside of European modernity. Just like Rimbaud left his poetry behind in Europe and went out into the desert alone.
So now, the world of the trees that Verlaine sang about simply sways quietly within me.
In his book " A Tree a Rock a Cloud," which I have not read yet, the American writer Carson McCullers is said to write about the difficulty of people loving other people.
It says that one must first learn to love one tree, one rock, and one cloud.
Now I think what profound wisdom that was.
The Itsukaichi Youth Centre is a good place to reflect on McCullers' words.
It is my hope that one day this grove will transform into wisdom in your hearts.
Itsukaichi March 8, 1997
Sekinan Research Field of Language
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