"The Pillow Book"
by
Sei Shonagon
“In spring it is the dawn
that is most beautiful.
As the light creeps
over the hills,
their outlines are dyed a faint red and
wisps of purplish cloud trail over them."
"In summer the nights,
not only when the moon shines,
but
on dark nights too,
as the fireflies flit to and fro,
and even when it rains,
how beautiful it is!"
"In autumn the evenings,
when the glittering sun
sinks close to
the edge of the hills and the crows fly back to their nests.
When the sun has set,
one's heart is moved by the sound of the
wind and the hum of the insects."
"In winter, the early mornings.
It is beautiful indeed
when the snow has fallen during the night, but
splendid too when the ground is white with frost..
But as noon approaches
and the cold wears off,
soon nothing remains
but piles of white ashes."
photo by Jorg Hacker