Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Songs of a Honeybee, by Akira Togawa
It's finally summer, so I've had some time to read things besides student papers again. I'm about 2/3 through my great uncle's book, Songs of a Honeybee, with final translations by my mom's cousin, Glenn Togawa. I'm just relishing every moment of the book, as I get to learn about my great uncle and more about my family history. He tends to write about everyday worries, personal insecurities, different ways of trying to be a better person and lead a good life. I feel like a lot of my poems focus on large events in my life, and I often forget that the most wonderful poem could just as easily come from something that I experience every day.
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2 comments:
"Songs of a Honeybee" sounds intriguing. I'm so glad that you have time to read and contemplate more than student papers.
Family history is a deep well from which your own story can grow. We carry some of those stories in our DNA and those chains speak in a language that can be just out of earshot without the voices of our relatives to translate. I was addicted to genealogy research for a year and now must be careful not to get back into it.
Must make art!
But, I can definitely feel how valuable this source can be for a writer.
You have been such an inspiration to me over the years. I hope you'll continue to blog and reach out wherever you are most comfortable re other writers/artists.
In the mean time, would it be alright if I link to you in my blog? I would love for others to visit and read your work.
Best wishes as you go forward with your summer.
Hi, Melinda. Ah, it's funny you mention DNA. Just last week I wrote a poem with "DNA" in it, which I thought was a bit weird, but it seemed to work in the poem. Yes, it is amazing how familiar my great uncle feels to me, even though I don't think I ever met him. It reminds me of seeing my sister's children for the first time.
Yes, please link to my blog. I hope you don't mind, I linked to yours without asking! I do plan on blogging more.
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