Nat > Nat's Quotes

“Song of Upbringing"

I

infancy

the snow that fell on me

was like floss silk



childhood

the snow that fell on me

was like sleet



seventeen to nineteen

the snow that fell on me

dropped like hail



twenty to twenty-two

the snow that fell on me

seemed like balls of ice



twenty-three

the snow that fell on me

looked like a blizzard



twenty-four

the snow that fell on me

became so mournful



II

the snow that falls on me

falls like petals

when the burning firewood makes a noise

and the frozen sky darkens



the snow that fell on me

so delicate and lovely

fell reaching out a hand



the snow that fell on me

was like tears

that sink into a burning forehead



to the snow that fell on me

I offered heartfelt thanks and prayed to God

that I would live a long life



the snow that fell on me

was so chaste”
― Chuya Nakahara