Impresie. Albastru inefabil…

dead-end memories – banana yoshimoto

*******

Different things came together, threads that were far apart suddenly joined up, and circumstances reeled me in, smoothly and inescapably.

*******

I was also learning that every single person in the world had been hurt by their family at some point. I wasn’t special at all—some people dealt with it well, and some didn’t, but that was the only difference, and either way, we were all nourished and cherished by our families, and at the same time limited and defined by them—that was what it meant to be human, I understood.

*******

I felt the silence might swallow me up, that I might disappear inside it. When I remember how small I felt then, it still makes me feel lonely.
[…]
In that moment, something so enormous and fundamental that I normally forgot its existence amid daily things and loved ones and life was trying to crush me along with the quietness. In my ignorance of what was about to happen, I went out into the darkness, defenselessly. To be shown just how small I was.

2020:
visez armonii:
aburul ceainicului –
seninatate.

2021:
seninatate –
privesc perfectiunea prin
cercul ferstrei…

2022:
cercul ferestrei:
in aroma unui ceai,
gust de infinit…

2023:
gust de infinit –
peste buze, sarutul
amintirilor…

2024:
amintirilor
le luminez culoarea,
din intuneric.

2025:
din intuneric,
si roua diminetii,
bulbi de lumina…

2026:
bulbi de lumina
vie: ciresi-mesageri,
inflorind ramuri…

dead-end memories – banana yoshimoto

*******

And then, suddenly, time was flowing differently than usual. It didn’t turn back, or even pause. Time simply floated open and started to expand. Time held the two of us in light, inside a space so vast it might have reached the heavens, and turned eternal.
[…]

The best words I can find to describe it is to say I felt we were being blessed.

*******
…iar eu am simtit in mod distinct ca mi-a fost sete de banana yoshimoto. nu dor, melancolie, lipsa, ci literalmente, nestiut, simteam nevoia de cuvintele ei pe buzele mele.

2020:
ceata mistica –
universuri tainice
asteptandu-te.

2021:
asteptandu-te
la necunoscut, umbre
te inconjoara…

2022:
te inconjoara
povestile altor vieti –
permutatie.

2023:
permutatie:
schimbul de imaginar,
intre mine si…

2024:
intre mine si
un timp de reverie,
spatiul se pierde.

2025:
spatiul se pierde:
in spatele privirii,
ce mai e Real?!…

2026:
ce e mai Real?
traind vis continuu, nu-i
tot vietuire?

the passengers on the hankyu line – hiro arikawa

*******

Masashi thought that Yuki was always snatching up the books he wanted to read, but apparently Yuki’s interest was also piqued by the books that Masashi chose.
Hmm, I wish I could ask him what made him pick up a book like that, she had mused.

*******

o carte de citit zambind. intamplari de-a lungul liniei de tren hankyu, cu personaje care se gasesc si re-gasesc, in pluri-perspectiva.

2020:
ploua-ti gradina
gandurilor cu viata –
flori de lumina.

2021:
flori de lumina
de toamna explodeaza –
ce artificii!…

2022:
ce artificii!
curcubeu autumnal
le-ncercuieste…

2023:
le-ncercuieste
misterul ne-luminii –
seara de toamna…

2024:
seara de toamna,
si floarea anilor se
scutur-a iarna.

2025:
scutur-a iarna,
beteala frunzelor la
sfarsit de toamna…

2026:
sfarsit de toamna:
culorile se retrag
in non-culoare…

the passengers on the hankyu line – hiro arikawa

*******

Ami, for her part, was upset that Tokié hadn’t chosen a more charming name but Tokié was unmoved. She was certainly not the type of grandmother who would go to such lengths to indulge her granddaughter.

*******

I see that you too like to point out when things don’t make sense. I wonder where you get that from?

*******

‘It’s true, winning is about believing you can win,’ said the young man with another amused smile.

2020:
miez de haiku –
viitorul zambeste
in poezie.

2021:
in poezie
se cufunda penelul
caligrafiei…

2022:
caligrafiei
il construieste templu
mana dibace…

2023:
mana dibace
isi deseneaza kanji –
cu fermitate.

2024:
cu fermitate
traseaza caractere
netremurate!…

2025:
netremurate,
cuvinte inscrise pe
file de destin.

2026:
file de destin:
iti sunt insemnate, sau –
ti le insemnezi?!…

the passengers on the hankyu line – hiro arikawa

*******

‘For a girl like you, life might not be all that easy. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t find people who see you. There will be plenty of people who admire the way you handle yourself. Like I do.’

2020:
floare de cires:
inflorindu-mi in priviri,
oare cine esti?

2021:
oare cine esti
cand pastrezi prizoniere
culori in suflet?

2022:
culori in suflet:
lentilele privirii
catre Univers…

2023:
catre Univers
imi aplec privirea sub
cerul in floare…

2024:
cerul in floare:
trenul fericirii, si
norii-s petale.

2025:
norii-s petale,
inflorite din soare,
ce, un pic, se sting…

2026:
ce, un pic, se sting
spre-a vibra mai puternic –
nazuintele!…

2020:
auz efemer,
sunet de vesnicie –
muntele fuji.

2021:
muntele fuji
domnind imparateste
peste zgarie-nori…

2022:
peste zgarie-nori,
forme fantastice, si-un
con de zapada…

2023:
con de zapada:
forme geometrice
pacalind norii…

2024:
pacalind norii,
vietuieste cu zeii,
albul de fuji.

2025:
albul de fuji
are o puritate,
de suflet curat…

2026:
de suflet curat –
simtamant de fuji nins:
purificare.

the passengers on the hankyu line – hiro arikawa

*******

‘Wow!?’ ‘Kind of unexpected, right?’ On the roof of what at first glance seemed like a nondescript building, there was a bright red torii gate, just like the ones that mark the entrance to a Shinto shrine. ‘Huh … what’s a torii doing up there? Do you think they built a garden or something on the roof?’

*******

‘Also,’ and here the student’s expression became stern, ‘better to cut ties with people whose values make you uncomfortable. Otherwise, the longer you stay with them, the more you risk compromising your own values for the sake of theirs.’

the passengers on the hankyu line – hiro arikawa

*******

When will my time come? It was thanks to the old woman, who had struck up a conversation with her on the train, that Shoko could even begin to ponder that question.

*******

Love means not doing the thing that the other person dislikes.

2020:
daca frunzele
si-ar canta culorile,
ce simfonie!

2021:
ce simfonie –
portalul magic canta
ecoul toamnei…

2022:
ecoul toamnei,
nicicand golit de sensuri,
roseste de drag.

2023:
roseste de drag
oglindirea frunzelor;
si culori ce cad…

2024:
si culori ce cad
din copaci indragostiti –
si-un vis plutitor.

2025:
si-un vis plutitor
mi se-aseaza pe perna,
ca un norisor…

2026:
ca un norisor,
culorile de toamna:
nimb sau coroana?!…

the passengers on the hankyu line – hiro arikawa

*******

All manner of people from every walk of life – solo passengers, friends, couples, families, work colleagues – traverse the concourse at a brisk pace. But as they cross paths, the contents of each traveller’s heart are a mystery known only to themselves.

*******

Such a strange series of chance encounters, overlapping like Jenga pieces, even if Masashi seemed to be the only one aware they were two players in a game.

2020:
niste licurici –
semnul universului
de va fi bine.

2021:
de va fi bine,
e-n lumini de licurici
in privirea ta…

2022:
in privirea ta
se ascund determinari –
nebanuite

2023:
nebanuite,
intrarile in povesti,
inchise-n vorbe…

2024:
inchise-n vorbe,
intelepciuni, ca niste –
sclipiri de sensuri.

2025:
sclipiri de sensuri:
inspiratia scrierii
intr-un licurici.

2026:
intr-un licurici,
lumina efemera
a existentei…

the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee – saki kawashiro

*******

“My point is, you’ll be fine, too, Momoko. Because you know how to protect your own love.”

2020:
plapumi greoaie
peste trupul adormit.
seninatate.

2021:
seninatatea
cufundarii in nori, si-a
zborului prin vis…

2022:
zborului prin vis
nu ii trebuie aripi,
ci doar petale

2023:
ci doar petale:
prin pufosenia pernei,
delicatete…

2024:
delicatete:
calatorind in visuri –
drum de matase.

2025:
drum de matase:
tesatorii de vise
pe ce nori plutesc?!…

2026:
pe ce nori plutesc?
somnul imi spune povesti,
in asternuturi…

the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee – saki kawashiro

*******

Tears filled my eyes, this time for a different reason. We’re all fighting the struggles of life, aren’t we?

2020:
sunt o umbrela –
iubirea contra ploii
sentimentelor

2021:
sentimentelor
le cresc paduri in suflet
umbrind ploi si nor…

2022:
umbrind ploi si nor –
lumina de felinar,
creste-mi in suflet!…

2023:
creste-mi in suflet
trepte catre taramul
visului diurn.

2024:
visului diurn,
pasi in realitate –
ce inaltare!

2025:
ce inaltare!
pe treptele din kyoto,
umbra spre soare…

2026:
umbra spre soare
priveste; iar in soare,
cautam umbra…

the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee – saki kawashiro

*******

Choosing your own path instead of following everyone else is a scary thing. The more we grow older, the more we feel like time is running out. That will probably never change. Even still, I have the power to make myself happy. At least that’s what I want to believe.

*******

“There are people who are in need of that somebody who will come in and track down the regret, loneliness, and insecurities they’ve long buried away. There are times when they need somebody like you, who can break into people’s hearts with the vigor of a warrior brandishing a huge naginata sword.” Hozumi. When you said so… You were trying to tell me something—

*******

I had thought that a person’s worries were something that could simply be solved through talking to someone. Once you vent, you need to hear someone say that they understand, that they can see how hard it was for you, and that you did your best. You need that bit of support. That’s when you can finally start to feel that maybe you weren’t wrong, that everything you felt was justified.

2020:
serpentine cu
pasiune, sarm, magie –
existenta mea.

2021:
existenta mea –
panglica sclipind argint
prin amurg de sori…

2022:
prin amurg de sori,
cu fiecare curba,
cate-o viziune…

2023:
cate-o viziune,
dinspre descatusarea
labirintului.

2024:
labirintului,
poeme de dragoste
deznoada ziduri.

2025:
deznoada ziduri
descatusarea unei
zile cu senin…

2026:
zile cu senin,
indreptand un drum deja
in serpentine…

the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee – saki kawashiro

*******

In umeboshi-making, there is a custom known as doyo-boshi, the airing out of umeboshi during the period of “summer doyo,” which starts around July 20th and ends around August 6th every year. It is said that this is the best time for it, as drying the plums under the hot sun after the humidity of the rainy season has passed is the key to making the most delicious and storable umeboshi.

*******

“There was a magic spell that Matsuko used to say every day when she made the onigiri. Did you ever hear it?”
Kimura, still in the same position, shook his head softly.
“It goes like this,” I said, pressing together an invisible onigiri. “God of Onigiri, please let Yasunari have another day of delicious meals.”
“God of Onigiri? That’s sweet.” Iori chuckled.
“Well, there is that ancient belief that every grain of rice is inhabited by seven gods,” Hozumi said.

*******

Making sure that all meals are delicious. Enjoying meals with the people I love. Maybe this is what happiness means to me.

2020:
scriitura ca –
poem al sufletului.
literatura.

2021:
literatura:
infloreste deserturi –
safire celesti…

2022:
safire ceresti –
sau podoaba cartilor:
ce diadema!

2023:
ce diadema:
coroana gandurilor
(re)creative.

2024:
(re)creative
scrierile pictate –
ce delectare!…

2025:
ce delectare! –
sau cand peste ani, rasar
caracterele…

2026:
caracterele:
un univers in miscari –
de pensula. si…

the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee – saki kawashiro

*******

“When you hold on to things, you hold on to the past. Right now, you’re being dragged back to the past, Momoko.” Hozumi made a very good point.

*******

“Why don’t you stop acting like the low-maintenance woman? Just this one day—no, this one night.” Makiko turned to look at me. “Once in a while, you’ve got to embarrass yourself and let yourself be the needy, high-maintenance woman.”

*******

Makiko was simply incapable of being a bystander in any situation. If she could do something about whatever was happening in front of her, she couldn’t ignore it. Whether she’d benefit from it or not was never a concern. If she could help, she would, and she would never forgive herself if she didn’t.