The Crimson Flower
Written by: Ryōshū
Translated by: Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda
Published in: Free Verse Poetry Volume 1
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Though time goes by
And people change
Spring after spring
The crimson flower
Blooms forever
Maiden!
What is it you seek
That you wander alone
In these foothills?
Do you seek the crimson flower
Who shares your fate?
Do you seek the crimson flower
That blooms in your maiden’s heart?
Though the water
Never ceases flowing
Spring after spring
The crimson flower
Blooms forever—
As each spring returns
It blooms forever—
The crimson flower
About the Heart Mountain Bungei
What is the Heart Mountain Bungei? Learn about the story behind the poetry and prose of the collection, and the process of translating and interpreting the Bungei.