Toyo Shibata didn't start writing until she was 92. At the age of 99, her first collection of poetry became a bestseller selling over 1.5 million copies! The title of her book is translated as either Don't Be Frustrated or Don't Lose Heart depending on the source. I'm hoping there will be an English translation of the book in the near future.
Toyo Shibata's poems are about her hopes and dreams, about falling in love, and the future.
"I think of various things: memories of my past and my family, my current life. I immerse myself in those memories and write from them." -Toyo Shibata (Reuters, 1/25/11)
I found her story to be very inspiring and proof that it's never too late for us to achieve our dreams!
A video of her reading her poems here.
Very inspiring indeed. Thanks for sharing this for Poetry Friday. I like reading about people who have lived full lives and I love listening to their stories. Will definitely check out your links.
ReplyDeleteThe very first link in the roundup honors a young life that was inspirational, but tragically short. This seems to be the bookend to that post -- one that celebrates longevity and the riches that can be found at the other end of the spectrum.
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