Yosano Akiko, tr. by Sam Hamill & Keiko Matsui Gibson, from River of Stars: Selected Poems of Yosano Akiko

[Text ID: “Picking wild roses, / some to weave into my hair / and some for the hand, / I then waited for hours, / I waited for you all day.”]

The Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems by Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu

When I look at her asleep in the dawn, the body of my lover shines like the lilies in the fields of May.

anonymous Japanese poet

transcribed (and possibly adapted) from a book of early Japanese poetry in the shadowy stacks of Cambridge University Library thirty years ago – any thoughts on a more detailed source would be much appreciated

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" Japanese novelist "Natsume Soseki" wrote this phrase "the moon is beautiful" to express the love and that's equivalent to "I Love You" in Japanese.

Ogura hyakunin isshu (One hundred poets, one hundred poems). 1680.

"This illustrated book of Ogura hyakunin isshu (One hundred poets, one hundred poems) is a collection of one hundred 31-syllable classical Japanese poems (waka), each by a different poet. The collection is organized chronologically from Emperor Tenji (626-671) to Emperor Juntoku (1197-1242). Each of the poets is depicted by a woodblock print created by Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-circa 1694). Morobonu is often considered the first Ukiyo-e artist." Library of Congress

LOC

晴れた初秋に多雨が次ぐ。 After a sunny early autumn, rainy days follow.

Not knowing the name of the tree, I stood in the flood of its sweet scent.

Matsuo Bashō

Ogata Korin

36 poets

Edo period

Haiku for day and night - Rosalind Howdle, 2023.

British , b. 1997 -

Oil on canvas. 43 3/10 × 35 2/5 in. 110 × 90 cm.

Things I want decided ~ Izumi Shikibu

— Ueda Choshu (Trans. R. H. Blyth)

Yosano Akiko, tr. by Sam Hamill & Keiko Matsui Gibson, from River of Stars: Selected Poems of Yosano Akiko

[Text ID: “I want, suddenly, to suck / your feverish lips with mine.”]

The Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems by Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu

Better not to meet you in my dreams, than reaching over for hands not there.

Otomo no Yakamochi (718-85)

transcribed (and possibly adapted) from a book of early Japanese poetry in the shadowy stacks of Cambridge University Library thirty years ago – any thoughts on a more detailed source would be much appreciated

image from here

人々を　しぐれよ宿は　寒くとも

- Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

On the people, I hope drizzling winter rain, Even the house is cold.

when the moon comes out, floating let us go and set the boat afloat. wavelets may rock the boat, there may be just a little breeze. out there in the sea it may be dark, the sound of water dripping from the oars so intimate when you hear it, ...breaking in between your words. the moon may listen intently, May come down a bit closer, when we kiss it will be just above our heads. you will talk some more, lover's talk without reason talk while pouting, I will listen to it all, ...without stopping my hands from rowing. when the moon comes out, floating let us go and set the boat afloat. wavelets may rock the boat, there may be just a little breeze.

― Nakahara Chuuya, On the Lake