She was a dream of moons, of fluttering handkerchiefs,
Of flying leaves, of parasols,
A riddle made to break my heart;
The lightest impulse
To her was more dear than the deep-toned temple bell.
She fluttered to my sword-hilt an instant,
And then flew away;
But who will spend all day chasing a butterfly?
Of flying leaves, of parasols,
A riddle made to break my heart;
The lightest impulse
To her was more dear than the deep-toned temple bell.
She fluttered to my sword-hilt an instant,
And then flew away;
But who will spend all day chasing a butterfly?
The Beautiful Geisha
Swift waves hissing
Under the moonlight;
Tarnished silver.
Under the moonlight;
Tarnished silver.
Swaying boats
Under the moonlight,
Gold lacquered prows.
Under the moonlight,
Gold lacquered prows.
Is it a vision
Under the moonlight?
No, it is only
A beautiful geisha swaying down the street.
Under the moonlight?
No, it is only
A beautiful geisha swaying down the street.
A Young Girl
Out of the rings and the bubbles,
The curls and the swirls of the water,
Out of the crystalline shower of drops shattered in play,
Her body and her thoughts arose.
The curls and the swirls of the water,
Out of the crystalline shower of drops shattered in play,
Her body and her thoughts arose.
She dreamed of some lover
To whom she might offer her body
Fresh and cool as a flower born in the rain.
To whom she might offer her body
Fresh and cool as a flower born in the rain.
The Heavenly Poetesses
In their bark of bamboo reeds
The heavenly poetesses
Float across the sky.
The heavenly poetesses
Float across the sky.
Poems are falling from them
Swift as the wind that shakes the lance-like bamboo leaves;
The stars close around like bubbles
Stirred by the silver oars of poems passing.
Swift as the wind that shakes the lance-like bamboo leaves;
The stars close around like bubbles
Stirred by the silver oars of poems passing.
The Old Love and the New
Beware, for the dying vine can hold
The strongest oak.
The strongest oak.
Only by cutting at the root
Can love be altered.
Can love be altered.
Late in the night
A rosy glimmer yet defies the darkness.
A rosy glimmer yet defies the darkness.
But the evening is growing late,
The blinds are being lowered;
She who held your heart and charmed you
Is only a rosy glimmer of flame remembered.
The blinds are being lowered;
She who held your heart and charmed you
Is only a rosy glimmer of flame remembered.
Fugitive Thoughts
My thoughts are sparrows passing
Through one great wave that breaks
In bubbles of gold on a black motionless rock.
Through one great wave that breaks
In bubbles of gold on a black motionless rock.
Disappointment
Rain rattles on the pavement,
Puddles stand in the bluish stones;
Afar in the Yoshiwara
Is she who holds my heart.
Puddles stand in the bluish stones;
Afar in the Yoshiwara
Is she who holds my heart.
Alas, the torn lantern of my hope
Trembles and sputters in the rain.
Trembles and sputters in the rain.
The Traitor
I saw him pass at twilight;
He was a dark cloud travelling
Over palace roofs
With one claw drooping.
He was a dark cloud travelling
Over palace roofs
With one claw drooping.
In his face were written ages
Of patient treachery
And the knowledge of his hour.
Of patient treachery
And the knowledge of his hour.
One dainty thrust, no more
Than this, he needs.
Than this, he needs.
The Fop
His heart is like a wind
Torn between cloud and butterfly;
Whether he will roll passively to one,
Or chase endlessly the other.
Torn between cloud and butterfly;
Whether he will roll passively to one,
Or chase endlessly the other.
Changing Love
My love for her at first was like the smoke that drifts
Across the marshes
From burning woods.
Across the marshes
From burning woods.
But, after she had gone,
It was like the lotus that lifts up
Its heart shaped buds from the dim waters.
It was like the lotus that lifts up
Its heart shaped buds from the dim waters.
In Exile
My heart is mournful as thunder moving
Through distant hills
Late on a long still night of autumn.
Through distant hills
Late on a long still night of autumn.
My heart is broken and mournful
As rain heard beating
Far off in the distance
While earth is parched more near.
As rain heard beating
Far off in the distance
While earth is parched more near.
On my heart is the black badge of exile;
I droop over it,
I accept its shame.
I droop over it,
I accept its shame.
The True Conqueror
He only can bow to men
Lofty as a god
To those beneath him,
Who has taken sins and sorrows
And whose deathless spirit leaps
Beneath them like a golden carp in the torrent.
Lofty as a god
To those beneath him,
Who has taken sins and sorrows
And whose deathless spirit leaps
Beneath them like a golden carp in the torrent.
Spring Love
Through the weak spring rains
Two lovers walk together,
Holding together the parasol.
Two lovers walk together,
Holding together the parasol.
But the laughing rains of spring
Will break the weak green shoots of their love.
Will break the weak green shoots of their love.
His will grow a towering stalk,
Hers, a cowering flower under it.
Hers, a cowering flower under it.
The Endless Lament
Spring rain falls through the cherry blossom,
In long blue shafts
On grasses strewn with delicate stars.
In long blue shafts
On grasses strewn with delicate stars.
The summer rain sifts through the drooping willow,
Shatters the courtyard
Leaving grey pools.
Shatters the courtyard
Leaving grey pools.
The autumn rain drives through the maples
Scarlet threads of sorrow,
Towards the snowy earth.
Scarlet threads of sorrow,
Towards the snowy earth.
Would that the rains of all the winters
Might wash away my grief!
Might wash away my grief!
Toyonobu. Exile's Return
The cranes have come back to the temple,
The winds are flapping the flags about,
Through a flute of reeds
I will blow a song.
The winds are flapping the flags about,
Through a flute of reeds
I will blow a song.
Let my song sigh as the breeze through the cryptomerias,
And pause like long flags flapping,
And dart and flutter aloft, like a wind-bewildered crane.
And pause like long flags flapping,
And dart and flutter aloft, like a wind-bewildered crane.
Wind and Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums bending
Before the wind.
Before the wind.
Chrysanthemums wavering
In the black choked grasses.
In the black choked grasses.
The wind frowns at them,
He tears off a green and orange stalk of broken chrysanthemum.
He tears off a green and orange stalk of broken chrysanthemum.
The chrysanthemums spread their flattered heads,
And scurry off before the wind.
And scurry off before the wind.
The Endless Pilgrimage
Storm-birds of autumn
With draggled wings:
With draggled wings:
Sleet-beaten, wind-tattered, snow-frozen,
Stopping in sheer weariness
Between the gnarled red pine trees
Twisted in doubt and despair;
Stopping in sheer weariness
Between the gnarled red pine trees
Twisted in doubt and despair;
Whence do you come, pilgrims,
Over what snow fields?
To what southern province
Hidden behind dim peaks, would you go?
Over what snow fields?
To what southern province
Hidden behind dim peaks, would you go?
"Too long were the telling
Wherefore we set out;
And where we will find rest
Only the Gods may tell."
Wherefore we set out;
And where we will find rest
Only the Gods may tell."
Part III
The Clouds
Although there was no sound in all the house,
I could not forbear listening for the cry of those long white rippling waves
Dragging up their strength to break on the sullen beach of the sky.
I could not forbear listening for the cry of those long white rippling waves
Dragging up their strength to break on the sullen beach of the sky.
Two Ladies Contrasted
The harmonies of the robes of this gay lady
Are like chants within a temple sweeping outwards
To the morn.
Are like chants within a temple sweeping outwards
To the morn.
But I prefer the song of the wind by a stream
Where a shy lily half hides itself in the grasses;
To the night of clouds and stars and wine and passion,
In a palace of tesselated restraint and splendor.
Where a shy lily half hides itself in the grasses;
To the night of clouds and stars and wine and passion,
In a palace of tesselated restraint and splendor.
A Night Festival
Sparrows and tame magpies chatter
In the porticoes
Lit with many a lantern.
In the porticoes
Lit with many a lantern.
There is idle song,
Scandal over full wine cups,
Sorrow does not matter.
Scandal over full wine cups,
Sorrow does not matter.
Only beyond the still grey shoji
For the breadth of innumerable countries,
Is the sea with ships asleep
In the blue-black starless night.
For the breadth of innumerable countries,
Is the sea with ships asleep
In the blue-black starless night.
Distant Coasts
A squall has struck the sea afar off.
You can feel it quiver
Over the paper parasol
With which she shields her face;
You can feel it quiver
Over the paper parasol
With which she shields her face;
In the drawn-together skirts of her robes,
As she turns to meet it.
As she turns to meet it.
On the Banks of the Sumida
Windy evening of autumn,
By the grey-green swirling river,
People are resting like still boats
Tugging uneasily at their cramped chains.
By the grey-green swirling river,
People are resting like still boats
Tugging uneasily at their cramped chains.
Some are moving slowly
Like the easy winds:
Like the easy winds:
Brown-blue, dull-green, the villages in the distance
Sleep on the banks of the river:
The waters sullenly clash and murmur.
The chatter of the passersby,
Is dulled beneath the grey unquiet sky.
Sleep on the banks of the river:
The waters sullenly clash and murmur.
The chatter of the passersby,
Is dulled beneath the grey unquiet sky.
Yoshiwara Festival
The green and violet peacocks
With golden tails
Parade.
With golden tails
Parade.
Beneath the fluttering jangling streamers
They walk
Violet and gold.
They walk
Violet and gold.
The green and violet peacocks
Through the golden dusk
Showered upon them from the vine-hung lanterns,
Stately, nostalgically,
Parade.
Through the golden dusk
Showered upon them from the vine-hung lanterns,
Stately, nostalgically,
Parade.
Sharaku Dreams
I will scrawl on the walls of the night
Faces.
Faces.
Leering, sneering, scowling, threatening faces;
Weeping, twisting, yelling, howling faces;
Faces fixed in a contortion between a scream and a laugh,
Meaningless faces.
Weeping, twisting, yelling, howling faces;
Faces fixed in a contortion between a scream and a laugh,
Meaningless faces.
I will cover the walls of night
With faces,
Till you do not know
If these faces are but masks, or you the masks for them.
With faces,
Till you do not know
If these faces are but masks, or you the masks for them.
Faces too grotesque for laughter,
Faces too shattered by pain for tears,
Faces of such ugliness
That the ugliness grows beauty.
Faces too shattered by pain for tears,
Faces of such ugliness
That the ugliness grows beauty.
They will haunt you morning, evening,
Burning, burning, ever returning.
Their own infamy creating,
Till you strike at life and hate it,
Burn your soul up so in hating.
Burning, burning, ever returning.
Their own infamy creating,
Till you strike at life and hate it,
Burn your soul up so in hating.
I will scrawl on the walls of the night
Faces,
Pitiless,
Flaring,
Staring.
Faces,
Pitiless,
Flaring,
Staring.
A Life
Her life was like a swiftly rushing stream
Green and scarlet,
Falling into darkness.
Green and scarlet,
Falling into darkness.
The seasons passed for her,
Like pale iris wilting,
Or peonies flying to ribbons before the storm-gusts.
The sombre pine-tops waited until the seasons had passed.
Like pale iris wilting,
Or peonies flying to ribbons before the storm-gusts.
The sombre pine-tops waited until the seasons had passed.
Then in her heart they grew
The snows of changeless winter
Stirred by the bitter winds of unsatisfied desire.
The snows of changeless winter
Stirred by the bitter winds of unsatisfied desire.
Dead Thoughts
My thoughts are an autumn breeze
Lifting and hurrying
Dry rubbish about in a corner.
Lifting and hurrying
Dry rubbish about in a corner.
My thoughts are willow branches
Already broken
Motionless at twilight.
Already broken
Motionless at twilight.
A Comparison
My beloved is like blue smoke that rises
In long slow planes,
And wavers
Over the dark paths of old gardens long neglected.
In long slow planes,
And wavers
Over the dark paths of old gardens long neglected.
Mutability
The wind shakes the mists
Making them quiver
With faint drum-tones of thunder.
Making them quiver
With faint drum-tones of thunder.
Out of the crane-haunted mists of autumn,
Blue and brown
Rolls the moon.
Blue and brown
Rolls the moon.
There was a city living here long ago,
Of all that city
There is only one stone left half-buried in the marsh,
With characters upon it which no one now can read.
Of all that city
There is only one stone left half-buried in the marsh,
With characters upon it which no one now can read.
Despair
Despair hangs in the broken folds of my garments;
It clogs my footsteps,
Like snow in the cherry bloom.
It clogs my footsteps,
Like snow in the cherry bloom.
In my heart is the sorrow
Of years like red leaves buried in snow.
Of years like red leaves buried in snow.
The Lonely Grave
Pilgrims will ascend the road in early summer,
Passing my tombstone
Mossy, long forgotten.
Passing my tombstone
Mossy, long forgotten.
Girls will laugh and scatter cherry petals,
Sometimes they will rest in the twisted pine-trees' shade.
Sometimes they will rest in the twisted pine-trees' shade.
If one presses her warm lips to this tablet
The dust of my body will feel a thrill, deep down in the silent earth.
The dust of my body will feel a thrill, deep down in the silent earth.
Part IV
Evening Sky
The sky spreads out its poor array
Of tattered flags,
Saffron and rose
Over the weary huddle of housetops
Smoking their evening pipes in silence.
Of tattered flags,
Saffron and rose
Over the weary huddle of housetops
Smoking their evening pipes in silence.
City Lights
The city gleams with lights this evening
Like loud and yawning laughter from red lips.
Like loud and yawning laughter from red lips.
Fugitive Beauty
As the fish that leaps from the river,
As the dropping of a November leaf at twilight,
As the faint flicker of lightning down the southern sky,
So I saw beauty, far away.
As the dropping of a November leaf at twilight,
As the faint flicker of lightning down the southern sky,
So I saw beauty, far away.
Silver Jars
I dreamed I caught your loveliness
In little silver jars:
And when you died I opened them,
And there was only soot within.
In little silver jars:
And when you died I opened them,
And there was only soot within.
Evening Rain
Rain fell so softly, in the evening,
I almost thought it was the trees that were talking.
I almost thought it was the trees that were talking.
Toy-Boxes
Cities are the toy-boxes
Time plays with:
And there are often many doll-houses
Of which the dolls are lost.
Time plays with:
And there are often many doll-houses
Of which the dolls are lost.
Moods
A poet's moods:
Fluttering butterflies in the rain.
Fluttering butterflies in the rain.
Grass
Grass moves in the wind,
My soul is backwards blown.
My soul is backwards blown.
A Landscape
Land, green-brown;
Sea, brown-grey;
Island, dull peacock blue;
Sky, stone-grey.
Sea, brown-grey;
Island, dull peacock blue;
Sky, stone-grey.
Terror
Because of the long pallid petals of white chrysanthemums
Waving to and fro,
I dare not go.
Waving to and fro,
I dare not go.
Mid-Summer Dusk
Swallows twittering at twilight:
Waves of heat
Churned to flames by the sun.
Waves of heat
Churned to flames by the sun.
Evening Bell from a Distant Temple
A bell in the fog
Creeps out echoing faintly
The pale broad flashes
Of vibrating twilight,
Faded gold.
Creeps out echoing faintly
The pale broad flashes
Of vibrating twilight,
Faded gold.
A Thought
A piece of paper ready to toss in the fire,
Blackened, scrawled with fragments of an incomplete song:
My soul.
Blackened, scrawled with fragments of an incomplete song:
My soul.
The Stars
There is a goddess who walks shrouded by day:
At night she throws her blue veil over the earth.
Men only see her naked glory through the little holes in the veil.
At night she throws her blue veil over the earth.
Men only see her naked glory through the little holes in the veil.
Japan
An old courtyard
Hidden away
In the afternoon.
Grey walks,
Mossy stones,
Copper carp swimming lazily,
And beyond,
A faint toneless hissing echo of rain
That tears at my heart.
Hidden away
In the afternoon.
Grey walks,
Mossy stones,
Copper carp swimming lazily,
And beyond,
A faint toneless hissing echo of rain
That tears at my heart.
Leaves
The splaying silhouette of horse-chestnut leaves
Against the tall and delicate, patrician-tinged sky
Like a princess in blue robes behind a grille of bronze.
Against the tall and delicate, patrician-tinged sky
Like a princess in blue robes behind a grille of bronze.
An edition of 1000 copies only, of which 975 copies have been printed on Olde Style paper, and 25 copies on Japanese Vellum.