Ephemeral iridescence of soap bubbles

Children sparkle with soap bubbling.

F and two Ys in 2017

Some bubbles last long flying as high as they can ....
 till suddenly popping out.

Some disappear too soon barely before they fly.

When there is hardly any breeze, bubbles hover around in the garden.
In the wind, bubbles are carried up away into the sky.

Merged bubbles

My grandchildren start to sing a song “Soap Bubbles" when they bubble soap.
 I have known the song since my childhood.

Soap Bubbles (1923)

Lyrics by Ujo Noguchi (1882-1945)

しゃぼん玉とんだ

屋根までとんだ

屋根までとんで

こわれて消えた

シャボン玉消えた

飛ばずに消えた

うまれてすぐに

こわれて消えた

風　風　吹くな

シャボン玉とばそ

(meaning)

Soap bubbles flew in the air

as high as the roof top

Around the roof top

they went pop and disappeared

Soap bubbles popped out 

without flying  

Just after it was born  

they broke and disappeared

Wind, wind, don't blow

Let's fly soap bubbles

F in 2015

There is a theory that Noguchi wrote the poem

in remembrance of his child who lived only eight days,
a baby who had almost no chance of life in this world like the second stanza of the lyrics.
Another theory is that the song was a requiem to all the children who passed away.
It was not rare for the children to die young those days.

There is no clear evidence, however, to back up these theories.

I had thought the song was simple joy and wonder of soap bubbling

but after having learned these ideas, I've come to see one view of life and death.

F, two Ys, and M in September, 2019

Most of the TV news coverage is about the super typhoon over the holiday weekend.
The record amounts of rainfall caused 37 rivers to overflow in the eastern Japan.
It is reported that up to 40 percent of the yearly rainfall was recorded
in only a day or two in many areas.
Thoughts and prayers to all the affected by the typhoon.

Bubbles in the little corner of a big city, Osaka.

Linked to Mosaic Monday