“Plum trees blooming near the stream”
each spring it seems I
shall confuse reflections in
the flowing stream with
flowers and again I’ll drench
my sleeves seeking to pluck those boughs
Lady Ise
“On seeing the autumn leaves falling near a pond”
when the wind blows the
falling leaves embroider the
limpid waters where
even the leaves still clinging
are reflected in the depths
Oshikochi no Mitsune
“untitled”
though my feet never
cease running to him on the
byways of my dreams
such meetings do not equal
one waking glimpse of my love
Ono no Komachi
Comment: These poems can be found in the Bedford Anthology of World Literature: The Middle Period, 100 CE-1450 CE. Kokinshu, or “Collection of Ancient and Modern Times,” is a medieval Japanese poetry anthology. Tanka is a Japanese verse form of 31 syllables in five unrhymed lines, the first and third having five syllables each while the second, fourth and fifth have seven. Those included in this post were translated by Laurel Rasplica Rodd with Mary Catherine Henkenius.
I have rediscovered a long lost love of poetry. I recenty read excerpts from middle China and Japanese poetry that are wonderful!!!