Silk Rhymes with Milk

Yellowstone

When I Was Most Beautiful

Noriko Ibaragi was a Japanese post-war poet and writer. She wrote ‘When I Was Most Beautiful’ in 1957. Below is a version of the translated poem used by Pete Seeger on the album Rainbow Race/ Now/ Young vs. Old.

When I was most beautiful, Cities were falling And from unexpected places Blue sky was seen When I was most beautiful People around me were killed And for paint and powder I lost the chance

When I was most beautiful Nobody gave me kind gifts. Men knew only to salute And went away. When I was most beautiful My country lost the war I paraded the main street With my blouse sleeves rolled high

When I was most beautiful Jazz overflowed the radio; I broke the prohibition against smoking; Sweet music of another land! When I was most beautiful I was most unhappy I was quite absurd I was quite lonely

I enjoy romantic walks around the local cemetery