Genji

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The Tale of Genji

 

In the Christmas parcel,

from my daughter 

who lives in Tokyo,

amongst other edible treats

was a packet of 'Genji Pie'

  

The packet claims,

in that quintessential Japanese way ,

that Genji Pie

are heartwarming

  

Each little biscuit,

individually wrapped,

is heart shaped

and bears no resemblance

to a pie of any sort

  

Crunchy and sugar topped

they make a nice sweet accompaniement 

to my Earl Grey tea

  

 From this angle 

they look a little like

looking up a gum tree 

at a koala butt

  

Why not make your tea time

more delightful

with Genji-Pie

  

Now Genji Pie

must take it's name from

this novel -

'The Tale of Genji'

a medieval Japanese novel

claimed to be the oldest novel in existence

The Tale of Genji

written by Murasaki Shikibu,

celebrated it's 1000 year birthday last year

  

Here is the dashing hero himself

the Shining Prince

now commoner Genji

a man of great talents

and irresistible charms

  

The Tale is over 1100 pages long

which creates quite a feat to read

and also trying to hold the hefty tome 

when in bed reading

Genji has many amorous adventures

through which we learn of life 

in the imperial court,

the intricate and beautiful apparel worn,

the poetry and music

and the customs

of 10th and 11th century Japan

  

You may remember

when I was boot bound

last winter

with the irrascible ankle

I received a number of books

from Amazon

including this one

Geisha

written by Liza Dalby

Liza Dalby was an American anthropologist

who lived and worked in Kyoto

in the 1970s 

as a Geisha in training

Liza Dalby

has also written

The Tale of Murasaki

based on the life of Murasaki Shikibu

the writer of Genji

I read this novel before tackling 

The Tale of Genji

and it helped to set the scene

for the epic adventures 

of our indefatigable hero

  

At the same time I ordered these books

Friko offered us

some passages

from Sei Shonagon's 

Pillow Book

No, nothing to do with bedtime,

it is a book of court life

in the same time period

which expresses the personal thoughts

and feelings 

of a court gentlewoman

and reknown poet

of the day,

Sei Shonagon

 

I think I shall now

sit an enjoy 

another risque adventure

of the handsome and irrepressible Genji

whilst nibbling 

my heartwarming 

Genji Pie

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