七十も半ばとなって
やっと　はっきりした
我が身中には
ぼちぼち精神が
巣くっているのが

若い頃から
ものごとは
ぼちぼちやる
のを　常とした

仕事が　溜まっても
ぼちぼち片付け
間に合わなくても
ぼちぼち手がけた

我が人生は
その程度のものと
諦めてのことか
その程度でも
大仕事と思ってのことか

そんなことどもを
改めて
ぼちぼち考えている
なにか　ぼちぼち
始めるとしよう

格山自賛 戦中派の多くの者が　そうであったように　私も　人並みに　志を持った人間になろう　と心がけたけれども、私は　大体の場合　「小志を抱く」ことを得意としていたように思う。 遊ぶ時間が持てるから　というのも　その理由の一つであったかもしれない。生徒に　「遅刻するな」とはいったけれども、「時間を惜しめ」とは言わなかったはずである。

ジャネット講評 Dear Professor Yamaguchi, Today, I could finally read your poem on the HP! I am sorry that I couldn't read the attachment you sent. I guess the program you use is not installed on my pc. I was really glad to read this wonderful poem, "Bochi-bochi", because it reflects your warm, easy-going personality and reading it made me smile. I can certainly identify with the feeling too. It's a relief to know that you like to take things as they come, at your own pace, in your own way. I think you know that I am rather "laid-back" and slow-paced (のんびり屋） for Japan, and always feel badly or guilty that I cannot handle all the things that I must do quickly or competently. So how good it is to know that you are praising the validity of taking things "bochi-bochi". This is DEFINITELY the attitude that I like, in fact-- LOVE! There is one part in it which I cannot understand very well. 我が身中には ぼちぼち精神が 巣くっているのが Specifically, this part---「巣くっている」 Does this mean that this mentality is deeply "ingrained" or "imprinted".........something like that? Did it come from 「巣を作っている」？ That's really interesting....... Is it like "a particular attitude or mentality has made a nest within a person"? Can it be used for both bad and good habits or attitudes? Is it a poetic expression or can I use it in daily conversations, like, 「あまりにものんびりしているところがいけないのですが、もう身中に巣くっているからどうにもならない。」 Is this OK or will people laugh at me? Thank you again for sending your very heartwarming poem at a time when I feel rather "rushed"! ２浪、高３、中３--You see, every one of my children is in the midst of jyuken now! So you don't know how comforting it was to know that it's alright to take it easy, to take things "bochi-bochi"............ Always, Janet