Now summer’s come,
smoky torches at every house
drive away mosquitoes–
and I–how long will I go on
smoldering with love?
translated by Hiroaki Sato & Burton Watson
longing
poem by Otomo Surugamaro from The Man’yoshu
Again and again I think of her–
. . .a thousand waves
. . . .lapping my heart
. . . . .in a single day–
yet how hard it is to wrap that jewel
. . . . .around my wrist.
translated by Ian Hideo Levy
poem 2 by Otomo no Yakamochi from The Man’yoshu
If longing were a thing
one could die from,
death would have come to me
. . . . .and come again
a thousand times!
translated by Ian Hideo Levy
anonymous tanka 7 from The Kokinshu
We part,
I go beyond the
endless clouds,
but would I ever let you
out of my heart?
translated by Hiroaki Sato & Burton Watson
anonymous tanka 3 from the Kokinshu
If a seed is there
the pine will sprout
even among boulders;
if I love and keep on loving,
can we fail to meet?
translated by Hiroaki Sato & Burton Watson
On The Gate Tower At Yo-chou by Tu Fu
I had always heard of Lake Tung-t’ing–
And now at last I have climbed to this tower.
With Wu country to the east of me and Ch’u to the south,
I can see heaven and earth endlessly floating.
. . .But no word has reached me from kin or friends.
I am old and sick and alone with my boat.
North of this wall there are wars and mountains–
And here by the rail how can I help crying?
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
Boating at Dusk by Song Ik-pil
Lost among flowers, the boat returns late;
expecting the moon, it drifts slowly down the shoals.
Though I’m drunk, I still drop a line:
the boat moves on, but not my dream.
translated by Kim Jong-gil
Autumn Lines by Li Po (Li Bai)
Clean fall wind
clear fall moon
leaves heaped by the wind
leaves scattered
a cold raven
flaps slowly
from his roost
thoughts of you
fill my head
will I ever
see you again?
the ache
around my heart
gets bigger
translated by David Young
tanka 3 by Ono no Komachi
This night of no moon
There is no way to meet him.
I rise in longing–
My breast pounds, a leaping flame,
My heart is consumed in fire.
translated by Donald Keene
untitled Chinese poem 3 by anonymous
In the courtyard is a marvelous tree
its green leaves spreading a profusion of flowers
I bend a branch and gather blossoms
to send to the one I love
sweet smells fill my lapels and sleeves
but the road is long and nothing can reach you
these things have no value as precious gifts
they only remind me how long you’ve been away
translated by Charles Hartman
Leonard Durso 