Carpe Diem #651

Picking Young Greens (wakanatsumi)

Kristjaan tells us --

On the morning of January 7, or the night before, people place the nanakusa, rice scoop, and/or 
wooden pestle on the cutting board and, facing the good-luck direction, chant "Before the birds of the continent (China) fly to Japan, let's get nanakusa" while cutting the herbs into pieces. The chant may vary.

 tōdo no tori to,
nihon no tori to,
wataranu saki ni,
nanakusa nazuna,
te ni tsumi-ire te,
kōshitochō to naru       

China-land's birds and
Japanese birds,
earlier than bring on their coming,
seven species wild herb,
I pluck them to the hand and
it becomes Neck, Turtle Beak, Dipper and Extended Net.

By the way "Neck", "Turtle Beak", "Dipper" and "Extended Net" are all Chinese constellations.

~~:~~

for long life and health

constellations in my bowl

sprigs of seven herbs

~~:~~

before birds arrive

in spider’s extended net

seven fresh green flies

 ~~:~~

seven types of weeds
wildly growing in the marsh
food for moose and goose