A review by florencebrino
Hyakunin-isshu by Fujiwara no Teika

4.0

Soon, we will not be
in this world together
And all will be a memory:
Now, for just a moment,
How I wish to meet.
— Izumi Shikibu, #56

Better than Neruda, I tell you.
One hundred people, one poem each. That's the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, a Japanese anthology compiled by Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241), a renowned poet from Ogura, Kyoto. He is considered one of the masters of waka, a type of poetry which consists of five lines with a total of 31 syllables that now is commonly known as tanka.
Among the ones I highlighted there are poems by Sarumaru no Dayu (#5), Ono no Komachi (#9), Fujiwara no Kanesuke (#27), Ki no Tsurayuki (#35), Gyōson (#66), Lady Suō no Naishi (#67) and Retired Emperor Sutoku (#79).

Each English version is followed by the original text in Japanese and romaji and a literal translation. Some of them include long chains of possible words, so several poems can be read in so many ways and they all work - a masterful demonstration of wordplay. Additionally, some of them come with a brief explanation of the historical context in which they were written or something about the personal life of the poet.

#33
by Ki no Tomonori (c. 850 – c. 904)

Eternal moon
And fading light-
This spring day,
A restless heart
And scattered blossoms.

*

久方の
光のどけき
春の日に
しづ心なく
花のちるらむ

*

Hisakata no
Hikari nodokeki
Haru no hi ni
Shizu-gokoro naku
Hana no chiruran

This poem gives a sense of long-lasting happiness ("the eternal moon") combined with a worry that it is ending ("losing light", "restless heart", "scattered [cherry] blossoms"). Cherry blossoms are known for their vivid beauty, but they only bloom for a couple weeks a year before scattering and disappearing...

A recurring, useless and yet sometimes inevitable way to experience a brief moment of happiness, isn't it? I love it for that.

As it usually happens with Japanese poetry, nature and human emotions are vividly entangled, developing strong visual descriptions. A thousand words - often difficult to utter - are replaced by one single and effective image. An endless night, a pale moon, autumn leaves, a broken brook, scattered cherry blossoms.

My personal favorite:

#83
by Fujiwara no Toshinari (1114-1204)

Society's midst
A tearful path,
Desiring retreat
To mountain depths–
But there too, a deer cries.

*

世の中よ
道こそなけれ
思ひ入る
山のおくにも
鹿ぞ鳴くなる

*

Yo no naka yo
Michi koso nakere
Omoi iru
Yama no oku ni mo
Shika zo naku naru

July 19-20, 18
* Photo / CC
** Also on my blog.