The Borrowed View, Ending With MultiKu

The Great Ducknik is a firm believer in the concept of The Borrowed View, in which the eye is tricked into believing that the vast distance is in fact part of the current frame. Here in the Native Iris and Oxalis Nursery (BW) at Great Plotnik World Headquarters, the Duck has carefully opened up a spot along the fence so that one can peer through the wire. Although one's eye THINKS it is focused on the Native Iris and Oxalis (BW), in fact it is being led through to that stairway and patch of sky beyond.

(BW): Both Weeds



Plotnik is the one who studied Japanese from the Big, Beautiful T.A.; yet Ducknik is the one who understands the three basic theories of Japanese landscape design, Ichi, Ni, San. You just read about number ICHI: The Borrowed View. Number NI is: NO STRAIGHT LINES. This especially applies to pathways. The Great Ducknik took many months to set all those cobblestones and all those paving stones just so. It is now impossible to get there from here without veering like a samurai on a bender. This is said to lead to contemplation.

We'll talk about Number SAN later. For now, look at the pathway from above and all you see is a winding path. But look from below, and you see nothing is the same height, every cranny has a planting, and one's stroll to the tea house (currently an avocado tree) can never be rapid. We see the cat's-eye's view.





Speaking of cats, here is an ancient Japanese Multiku, which is seven Haikus strung together, and you have to mention a bodily function.

"Cat must walk down winding path. Furry nose to sniff the air. All things change like life itself. Stomach rumble kibble good. Kitty veer off into weeds. Hunker down: now kibble gone. Gardener's shoe, soon ha ha ha."