behind the mountain’s ridge

2023/04/01
czech republic
Icy breeze blowing from Czech Republic: musician Bára Sýkorová celebrates Nanao Sakaki's centenary with a song! The lyrics of Za Horským hřebenem [Behind the Mountain’s Ridge] makes reference to several poems by Nanao, such as Wind Speaks, Winter Flower Trails, False Solomon's Seal, among others.

These poems were translated to Czech by Jiřího Weina. Bára composed the song in partnership with Václav Květoň, who also played flute and piano, in addition to mixing and mastering the song.

You can check out other works by Bára Sýkorová on her instagram or by accessing her linktree.

Enjoy the music video and, below, one of the poems that inspired the song.

Thank you, Bára and Václav! Happy centenary, Nanao!




False Solomon’s Seal
(Nanao Sakaki)

(1) Much eating makes stomach-ache
      Much knowledge head-ache
      Much sensibility mind-ache
      Much thinking heart attack
(2) To know is to get lost.

(3) Go to the ant,
      Thou sluggard,
      Consider her ways
      And be silly like her. 

(4) Money makes the horse go
      Honey makes the bear walk
      Irony makes man run away. 

(5) Give the tutor to an idiot
      Give the dictionary to a scholar
      Give a graveyard to the dead
      Give the cake to me. 

(6) The early bird catches the worm
      Spare eater the wisdom of belly
      Jolly worker the wisdom of mind
      God the wisdom of silence.

(7) Birthing --------- for this encounter
      Old age --------------- sky blue turquoise
      Sickness --------------- life so rich
      Death ----------------- let’s go to bed. 

(8) Even though
      Even though
      I love this wrecked earth
      I + I = I

(9) The sky is always blue
      The moon always full
      The sea always high
      You always complaining.

(10) In a strange country

        If you want to know the land
                        Learn the seeds.
          If you want to knoe the culture
                        Check the craft.
          If you want to know the future of the land
                        Listen to the folk music.
          If you want to know the people
                        Know yourself. 


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