Lovers in Smoke
Before I touch upon what I was thinking about today -- I must admit to an odd conclusion that I came upon Saturday afternoon:
The conclusion was that if money was no object, I would travel to see sporting contests -- that was a very odd conclusion to come to -- I think cars, houses, trips, luxuries are all nice -- but I would want to travel to watch live sports, that is my true passion -- I can certainly dream, can't I? :)
The ultimate love is undeclared love
I was reading Yukio Mishima's commentary on Jocho Yamamoto's Hagakure (The Way of the Samurai) this evening, and this passage struck me as odd yet very intriguing because of its seemingly contradictory and frustrating nature -- especially in light of today's instant gratification society
Mishima once said that the ultimate love is secret love (or undeclared love) -- it was his belief that once shared, love shrinks in stature
For him, to pine away for love all your life, to die of love without uttering the name of the one you loved in secret -- seemingly never declaring or disclosing one's love to the beloved -- that this is the true meaning of love
He coined the poem:
I shall die for my love
Know the truth only in the smoke that remains --
My lover's name kept secret to the end
His poem purportedly indicated the most elegant kind of love, and he made the comment that some have taken this poem and coined the term "lovers in smoke"
This perplexes me to no end because it implies that the greatest love attainable is actually that which we Westerners would term a "crush" -- this fascinates me and eludes my comprehension -- yet the elegance of the ideal it embodies is quite beautiful and sweet, and in equal measure, sad and tragic
It seems to be feeling everything yet having nothing -- exhilaration and exasperation, indeed
Comments
oh man....
i can totally relate to that right there...
but i dont want it to be a secret... but yes it is intense. its that first stages where nothing is certain and all your bodys normal functions cease to operate the way they should.
sad and tragic i can do without. i dont want to keep this one a secret... in fact i need her to find out... THAT is what will bring the ultimate love....
Posted by: janitor | March 30, 2004 12:56 AM