Summary of unfolding bud by naoshi koriyama
Naoshi Koriyama uses a central metaphor in his poem to compare poetry to a budding flower. Much like a growing plant, poetry develops its beauty gradually. Koriyama refers to a poem's initial impression as ordinary and reserved. He describes:
"One is not amazed,
At a first glance,
By a poem,
Which is as tight-closed
As a tiny bud" (7-11)
Through this comparison, the reader is shown how a poem starts out with a hidden message inside, waiting to blossom and reveal itself. The connotation used by Koriyama reminds the reader that a "tiny bud" (11) is how a beautiful masterpiece begins, and one must be patient during the early stages of a poem until its true meaning is discovered.
Koriyama further illustrates the transformation from bud to blossom when he writes:
"One is amazed
By a water-lily bud
Unfolding
With each passing day,
Taking on a richer color
And new dimensions" (1-6)
Through these vivid words the reader is able to see how a flower is transformed to be magnificent and beautiful. One can also see that this metamorphosis does not occur overnight, but rather it takes time to fully run its course. Just as Koriyama describes a plant as "Taking on richer color" (5), he later refers to a poem as "Revealing its rich inner self" (15). His diction convinces the reader of their similarities since they both develop a fuller beauty and meaning as time goes on. Through these comparisons, Koriyama shows the audience that to discover the true meaning of a poem, one must be patient and wait for its beauty to bloom.
"One is not amazed,
At a first glance,
By a poem,
Which is as tight-closed
As a tiny bud" (7-11)
Through this comparison, the reader is shown how a poem starts out with a hidden message inside, waiting to blossom and reveal itself. The connotation used by Koriyama reminds the reader that a "tiny bud" (11) is how a beautiful masterpiece begins, and one must be patient during the early stages of a poem until its true meaning is discovered.
Koriyama further illustrates the transformation from bud to blossom when he writes:
"One is amazed
By a water-lily bud
Unfolding
With each passing day,
Taking on a richer color
And new dimensions" (1-6)
Through these vivid words the reader is able to see how a flower is transformed to be magnificent and beautiful. One can also see that this metamorphosis does not occur overnight, but rather it takes time to fully run its course. Just as Koriyama describes a plant as "Taking on richer color" (5), he later refers to a poem as "Revealing its rich inner self" (15). His diction convinces the reader of their similarities since they both develop a fuller beauty and meaning as time goes on. Through these comparisons, Koriyama shows the audience that to discover the true meaning of a poem, one must be patient and wait for its beauty to bloom.
