Classic Poem

Although mythological or personified description
is something I would be ashamed to attempt,
let me for a moment assume the position of the ancient poet
and state the following to the black, obscene nimbus:
I, a humble official, hoping to wash both mind and body
in the vast air glimmering above this summit,
and in the cold wind passing here with a fragrance of roses,
and in the terrifying blue etching of mountains and valleys,
have managed from today's business schedule
a few moments
and stand here, knowing their full value.
But, first of all, black nimbus,
against my wish
you bring to mind an abnormal anxiety
and make me feel as if I were, in the words of the Kojiki ,
" treading on air. "
Let me explain, since you ask the reason:
For two-thirds of this past May,
obscene nimbus family,
you covered the river and the valley to the west and did not move.
As a result, sunlight fell below the normal level
and all the rice seedlings grew excessively
or acquired red splotches.
Under the circumstances, as outlined,
I could not regard without grave concern
the season's rice growth in this prefecture,
I looked up at the skies and uttered anguished cries
more than several times a day.
Last night, however,
the veteran weather bureau chief
forecast it would be absolutely sunny,
and this morning, the sky blue, the air fresh,
I enjoyed letting my cigar smoke flow out the train window,
the fifty miles among valleys and twenty-five miles through plains,
happy to be on schedule. But now, past noon,
what deceit, what breach of trust!
As I scan the vast expanse from this summit,
I am gnawed by anger:
First, that you, from here to the east,
disguised in the color of the nightingale,
cover the long stretches of land mass
going to the limit of visibility
to rape the ocean;
second, that you rush northward,
going against those cirrocumuli
and the blue void;
third, that above the mountains covered with larches
you, dark atmospheric sea cucumbers,
are all too brazen,
now disappearing, now transmogrifying yourselves
into all sorts of lascivious lights and forms.
To summarize all this,
soft, dubious nimbus,
although you allow me to enjoy several chinks of sensuous sunlight,
although you send me rude fragrance in the wind,
your intention cast out in the entire sky
with your gray black wings and tentacles,
your fluid mass of great baritone,
is too evident to hide.
Therefore, I, a humble official,
considering all the positions I occupy, public and private,
give you, these last moments,
a glare brimming with outrage,
ready to leave this summit
as swiftly as I can.