japanese classical poetry

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Let the winds of heaven

Blow through the paths among the clouds

And close their gates.

Then for a while I could detain

These messengers in maiden form.~Sôjô Henjô

Twilight watering…

and please,

a cooling sprinkle

for wrens and crickets ~Kikaku*

*cited: The Eternal Grasshopper

how can I blame the cherry blossoms

for rejecting this floating world

and drifting away as the wind calls them?

~Shunzei’s Daughter*

*cited:

Women Poets of Japan

K Rexroth & I Atsumi