How much can a heart hold? Has anyone succeeded in finding out?
Today, through a new friend’s blog post/carousel, I came upon a lovely quote that replied to one of the above questions. It read:
“Nobody has ever measured,
PassItOn.com.
not even poets,
how much the heart can hold.”
~ Zelda Fitzgerald
Immediately, I recalled one poet I knew about ( a nobody for many years) and wrote back to tell my friend at the lovely Where Possibility Awaits Website where I first saw that quote in a carousel of gorgeous photos. Go on, my friends, click on either link to Meet Vicki, a sweetheart who’ll delight you with pearls of wisdom. Delicious.
Now, let me present you first with a link to the Japanese Poet of Poems for Children of all ages: Misuzu Kaneko– the poet who drove me to claim that I know of one poet who attempted to measure how much a heart can hold.
Aside: Wikipedia is a good place to find information about the poet, but I present you with an article by Yazaki Setsuo, director of the Misuzu Kaneko Memorial Museum since 2003. His words spoke better to me. Thank you, Sir.
Next, the poem.
Words are from page 57 in the lovely book I purchased at a doll exhibition displaying Ms. Kaneko’s work. It carries the weight to my claim and has been one of my faves for a very long time as it awakens the child within me. I hope you enjoy it.
HEARTS Even though my mother is big and grownup, My mother's heart must be small.' Cause, my mother said, It's been all filled up with little me. But, even though I am little and just a child, My heart must be big.' Cause my heart can hold my big mother And still have room for lots more.
こころ Poem by Misuzu Kaneko
(real name Teru Kaneko)
お母さま は 大人で大きいけれど。 お母さまの おこころはちいさい。 だって、お母さまはいいました、 ちいさい私でいっぱいだって。 私は子供で ちいさいけれど、 ちいさい私の こころは大きい。 だって、大きいお母さまで、 まだいっぱいにならないで、 いろんな事をおもうから。
Another aside: the Japanese words on page 56 of my book are written in the traditional style: from right to left, which cannot work here. Thus, I wrote them from left to right.
Do you know of another nobody who tried to do the same? Please delight me with your finds of writers with big hearts like Misuzu Kaneko. xoxo
Top Illustration Image by Michael Hourigan from Pixabay
The gallery photos by yours truly,
Bottom Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
THANKS FOR READING
I Wish You Miracles.
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beautiful heartfelt poem.
This was in spam. sorry for the delayed response. Thanks so dearly for the visit and comment. I appreciate you. xoxo
Japanese is written from right to left⁉️
for ages. That’s why (i think) the books front side is what in the west is considered the back of a book. Even manga is read that way.
Where one would start reading from the left side of the page in English, in Japanese, one’s start is at the right of the page. I hope this explanation is satisfactory.
Oh, I know what I can do, I can snap a photo of my book and post it on this post. Give me time.
Thanks for the question, David. Be well. xoxo
I think hebrew is written the same way, no? I don’t know for sure.
yes! and Arabic!
Oh, I should specify about the writing. Poetry and literature is written from top to bottom; meaning the lines are vertical.
And yes, read from right to left.
Articles and such, when written horizontally are still first approached from what westerners think as the back.
beautifully expressed —
Glad you read, dear one. xoxo
What a gorgeous poem
This was in spam. sorry for the delayed response. So glad I could serve you a gorgeous poem. Made my day, you. xoxo
Thanks Selma for this post, introducing me to the poetry of Misuzu Kaneko and Vicky’s blog. Have a great day, my friend.
Always a pleasure. Be well. Love your posts. xoxo
Thanks, Selma. Have a wonderful day, My Friend.
This is nice, what the heart can hold is not measurable I agree but I assume it must be very much generous as it holds all our emotions.
Holds our emotions: sweet and bitter. Thanks for reading and commenting. You’re the sweetest.
It is a pleasure Selma. Aww thank you. Stay blessed always. 🤗💖
Very nice ! Heart touching Japanese poem written.i like
Glad you read. Thanks for the comment, Raj. Blessings.
Most welcome 🌷, Selma!
😘 aww. Splendid. I appreciate you. 🌹 for you too. 💜
Yes, it’s please 🌷!
What a sweet poem (though I laugh at the innocent back-handed insult to mom)! Thanks for sharing this with us, Selma. 🙂
Glad you read. And laughed. 💃🏼 👏
Thank you for sharing this poem which made me cry, Selma! Reminds me of the story ‘guess how much I love you’ ❤️
Love you all the way up to the moon and back! Yes, Yes.
And do you know “I will love you Forever” ? That one made me ugly-cry every time I read it to the boys. Aww.
So glad you enjoyed this one by Misuzu K. Thanks for reading.
Oh, I haven’t read that one…don’t think I could even handle that level of emotion right now 😭😅😍
Oh, quoted it wrong. The one I know is “Love You Forever”
By Robert Munsch, Sheila McGraw (Illustrator)
That one— even today, makes me cry.
And since we’re on the topic, The Velveteen Rabbit also gets me every time.
Ok. I won’t push. But parenthood is the most amazing stage of growth. It’s how we redeem ourselves to our own parents. I am sure. And the books! Gosh! Writers Rock!!
There is something simple and profound about this and I really like it
Lovely. Check your email… I’m sending you something that your verse reminded me of…
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