The shrike in Chinese characters 　　　　　　　　　　Can read one hundred tongues 　　　　　　　　　　Probably because it screeches loudly, 　　　　　　　　　　On a fine day, in a tree, the bird just screeches, 　　　　　　　　　　Kie-kie-kie, kie-kie-kie 　　　　　　　　　　Not knowing its name in Japanese nor in English, 　　　　　　　　　　All it knows is its shrieking song, 　　　　　　　　　　So it just shrieks, all day long. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　from “Animal Poetry” by Saisei Muroho

When I was a grade-schooler, I loved this poem somehow. The balmy wind blowing by, and the high sky with clouds drifting by. How beautiful the fall is! At this time of year, trees, plants, birds are all busy preparing for the spring. Daffodils are growing bulbs with might. Magnolias are also producing seedpods on their branches. If the spring is a blooming season, the fall is a season to prepare for the spring. In the UNESCO’s General Conference being held in Paris this fall, the United States will rejoin UNESCO, from which it withdrew 19 years ago. That reminds me of a fall evening of 1986, when we held a lecture by Dr. John E. Fobes, during his visit to Japan. He was president of Americans for the Universality of UNESCO. We prayed through the lecture that US comes back to UNESCO as soon as possible. * Considering the current situation of the world and sad affairs in Japan, I can’t but ask when a UNESCO- principled “spring” will arrive, when all the people on the

earth alike can live in peace. “Don’t give up” I say to myself. I renewed my conviction that we must make further efforts to improve the environment to cultivate rich minds. I hope our UNESCO activities can make useful contributions. The Meguro UNESCO Association was founded in the fall of 1954. October 3rd this year marked the 49th anniversary. The next day, on the 4th, I happened to hear a staccato beat of the jang-go, a Korea’s traditional percussion, resonating in the hall where a program “Let’s learn about Korea” was held, organized by members of the International Exchange Committee. I had a feeling that friendship members from South Korea were fortuitously presenting us with some “festival music”. To get back to the original topic, the fall bird, the shrike knows songs other than the screech. The shrike is a good mimic of various birds. I don’t know if this is for prey or out of desire to learn. Be that as it may, I still like the poem.