Shiki hototogisu pun

In 1895 we already have Shiki

水無月の虚空に涼し時鳥

In 1897 the journal 時鳥 is founded (hototogisu).

Thereafter, in the month of no more May showers, under the empty sky, a cool breeze will find us reading the journal.  He may have looked back with amusement at the retrospective pun.

Empty, empty, carried away on a breeze, the unseen bird ( kanji for time + kanji for bird ) - and like Berlin, cool is that of a capital ... and the Kyoto lamp at the gate ... but we find that coolness underground, damp ... and rightly so ... the 3rd memento mori.

Hanami, May showers, dry sixth month

Empty, empty, the breeze and seeing the temple clock - a candle ?

Janine Beichman's translation can be seen here as item 16.1 at the top of the poems on that page.

I failed to recognize this kanji this morning. Ah - so desu.

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