Saigyo's Poem

My grandfather and aunt were calligraphy masters. When my aunt passed away a year ago, I brought back one framed piece that was done by my grandfather as well as many my aunt's pieces. I decided to hang the one my grandfathers wrote in my house, but it was impossible to read as it is in a very old Japanese writing style. I have tried to read it several times but the only thing I could understand was the name of poet, Saigyo, a Buddhist monk who wrote many beautiful poems.

Today, I was very curious and decided to take the back off of the frame. There I found in my grandfather's writing, the description of the poem! Ah, thanks Grand-pa!


"negawaku wa, hana no shitanite haru shinamu, sono kisaragi no mochizuki no koro."

translated in English ...

"If I am to die I wish to die under the cherry blossoms, just around the full moon in spring"

I was reading about him and his other poems and found myself interested in this. We learned these classical Japanese writings & poems when we were in high school. I remember I didn't care much about this at that time. But twenty-some years later, I know I appreciate these more... Am I getting older?