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Fuji in a Saucer: The Poem

This poem, which appeared in Otherworldly Evenings, was inspired by a Japanese wood block print by Hokusai, entitled "Fuji in a Saucer", taken from his three volume work, One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.

Fuji in a Saucer

Фузий в блюдечке

Through tannic steam I catch a glimpse of Fuji: Сквозь чайный пар я вижу гору Фузий,
Against a yellow sky volcanic gold На желтом небе золотой вулкан.
A saucer narrows nature very strangely, Как блюдечко природу странно узит!
In shallow ripples lovely to behold. Но новый трепет мелкой рябью дан.
The clouds, like little webs, like spider legs, Как облаков продольных паутинки
Are pierced by sun no bigger than a mote, Пронзает солнце с муравьиный глаз,
And bird-fish, fish-birds, flecks that will be dregs, А птицы-рыбы, черные чаинки,
Spin azure topaz outlines as they float. Чертят лазури зыблемый топаз!
A tiny world with spring a world in it: Весенний мир вместится в малом мире:
There comes an air of almonds, blare of horns, Запахнут миндали, затрубит рог,
And all the gulf if twice as large would fit И весь залив, хоть будь он вдвое шире,
Encompassed in the hug of porcelain shores. Фарфоровый обнимет ободок.
But now an unexpected twig - mimosa - Но ветка неожиданной мимозы,
Has fallen where its shadow split the sky, - Рассекши небеса, легла на них, -
Just so, at times, in philosophic prose Так на страницах философской прозы
A glint of poetry will catch the eye. Порою заблестит влюбленный стих.

Related Materials

 Another poem inspired by the same image, by Amy Lowell, written contemporaneously

Images:
 Cover of Otherworldly Evenings 
 Title page of Otherworldly Evenings 
 The poem "Fuji in a Saucer" as printed in Otherworldly Evenings

Copyright © 1999 by John Barnstead