Every year when the days become shorter and the weather becomes colder, I feel a certain sadness and longing for the vibrancy of summer. This past summer I cycled and walked much more in order to avoid taking public transit during the pandemic. I noticed people's gardens at close range, especially one garden that a couple were regularly attending. They had an impressive amount of melons thriving in their beautiful green patch. I think of this image often now, in order to feel more optimistic and hopeful about the future.
Coolness of the Melons by Matsuo Basho
Coolness of the melons flecked with mud in the morning dew
(tr. Robert Hass)
The Raw and the Cooked, MYTHOLOGIQUES is a new column on the culture of eating and cooking, with contributions by various authors. The column name is borrowed from the title of a book by Claude Levi-Strauss. It is spontaneous, a little amusing but serious at the same time.
