34 The Japanese Floral Calendar. 



To illustrate the brevity of Japanese poetry, the original 

 is added here: 



"Midzu ga kaki 

 Midzu ga keshikeri 

 Kakitsubata." 



We append two more poems concerning the iris, as 

 translated by a young Japanese teacher of English : 



"The iris, grown between my house and the neighbor's, 



Is just burnishing in its deepest color and glory ; 

 I wish that some one would come to see it, 



Before it withers away and returns to the dust." 



"On my journey far away from home 



My heart flies to the beloved left at home, 

 Who has been as indispensable to me 



As the soft clothes that I put on constantly." 



The last poem is, in the original, an acrostic which 

 spells out kakitsubata. It is for that reason only that it 

 was selected. This style of poem is quite prevalent in 

 Japanese literature. 



The iris is connected with the rainy season, as is shown 

 by the following poems : 



and 



"What will not change for eternity 

 Is the iris fragrant in the quiet rains ;" 



"The wind passes under the eaves with iris hung, 

 Lo, the endless fall of the shower's dews." 



