Written on Water Page 9

  Seems shadowed by dark clouds.

  (1911)

  244

  Lovely as the spring haze

  Softening verdant hills and fields

  On a sunny day

  is your graceful figure,

  Which 1 constantly adore.

  (1913)

  245

  Dazed with love for my dear one,

  l did not know where to turn.

  Not till I had walked

  Far from home was I aware of

  The drizzling rain.

  (1915)

  246

  How I wish I'd seen you clearly

  When you left my home at dawn.

  All this long spring day

  My soul yearns for you,

  And my heart is consumed with love.

  (1925)

  From a man

  247

  May the wisteria

  Blossom once again

  For our sweet delight of love,

  If it does not bring forth fruit

  Ripening into marriage.

  (1928)

  The woman's reply

  248

  As for the wisteria,

  It's already borne its fruit

  And is past its blossom time.

  Should a gentle spring rain fall,

  No more blossoms can it bear.

  (1929)

  249

  Evening cicadas

  Sing only at dusk.

  What else can a woman do

  whose love remains unrequited

  But weep from morn to eve?

  (1982)

  250

  Let the rumor spread

  Fast and wide Like summer weeds.

  But so Long as I can Lie

  With my Love,

  What should I care?

  (1983)

  251

  As a daisy blooms,

  Quiet, modest,

  Unremarked and unnoticed,

  So my love in silence blooms,

  Unrequited, in my heart.

  (1989)

  252

  In the spring the earth

  Is adorned with flowers fair.

  In the summer 'tis clad in green.

  In the autumn the mountains wear

  Glorious tints of red and gold.

  (2177)

  253

  Never do I see

  Dewdrops sparkling pure and fair

  On a bush-clover spray

  But l recall

  Your dear image with noble grace.

  (2259)

  254

  Would my darling were

  A soft undergarment.

  When the autumn wind

  Sends a chill up my spine,

  I would wear it next to me.

  (2260)

  255

  Though I writhe with passion and

  Die of the agony of Love,

  Yet ne'er I will let my ardor

  Show forth in my face,

  Clear as a morning-glory's hue.

  (2305)

  256

  Even while traveling,

  With the gentle sex I lie.

  These Long autumn nights

  All alone I sleep at home

  That annoying rumors may not spread.

  (2505)

  257

  Weak and faint

  With the gnawing pain of Love—

  I feel I'll fade away

  Like a pearl of dew

  On a spray of plum blossoms.

  (2335

  258

  When you aren't with me,

  Evening never falls

  But that I am cold and alone,

  Though no mountain wind

  Chills my spine.

  (2350)

  259

  Come in, my dear one,

  Through the opening in the blinds.

  Should my mother ask,

  "Who has come in?" I will reply

  "It's just the wind."

  (2364)

  260

  Such is my agony—

  A wedded Lady fair

  Seen but once

  On the royal thoroughfare.

  Now my nights are often sleepless.

  (2365)

  261

  Even now I see

  The image of my beloved wife

  Crying her heart out,

  Till her sleeves were soaked with tears

  On the day she saw me off.

  (2518)

  262

  Though l sleep

  Only on thin mats of

  Newly mown straw,

  I'm not cold,

  As long as I sleep with you.

  (2520)

  263

  I have lost my heart

  To one who is not inclined

  To return my Love.

  I feel more dead than alive.

  No more do I care to live.

  (2525)

  264

  With eagerness

  She must be awaiting me—

  I will hasten

  So that I may see a charming smile

  On her lovely face.

  (2526)

  265

  Through the opening of her bamboo fence,

  If l could but glimpse

  My Lovely girl

  For a moment now and then,

  How could l ever be melancholy?

  (2530)

  266

  For whom and why

  Should l ever free my hair,

  Rich and ebony black,

  To flow and ripple in the air,

  But to be admired and stroked

  By the dear love of my heart?

  (2532)

  267

  1 have kept my love for you

  Hidden even from my dear mother.

  I am yours—

  All my heart and all my soul

  I offer as your own.

  (2537)

  268

  'Tis a thousand years

  Since our Last tryst.

  No, that cannot be.

  Just waiting to see you again,

  It seems an age has passed.

  (2539)

  269

  As soft and tender

  As young grass

  Is my sweet young wife.

  How can l ever for even a night

  Miss my darling?

  (2542)

  270

  Thinking of a sudden visit

  To my Love—

  I can see

  How her Lovely smile

  Will brighten her face.

  (2546)

  271

  Little did I think

  She was everything to me.

  Now how I regret

  That it was not every night

  I Laid my head upon her arm.

  (2547)

  272

  The image of the girl

  Who, in crimson gown,

  Left here days ago,

  Is still vivid in my eyes,

  Night and day, awake or asleep.

  (2550)

  273

  In the agony of Love,

  Muddled,

  All I could do

  Was wonder from my house,

  And go past her gate.

  (2551)

  274

  At the sight of you,

  So shy,

  I hide my face.

  But even with face hidden,

  How I wish to gaze at you!

  (2554)

  275

  Should I ever tell my mother

  What is going on

  Twixt you and me,

  We would have no chance to meet

  Till we reach a ripe old age.

  (2557)

  276

  You are leaving me

  In this drear village

  Falling into ruin.

  Take pity on me;

  I shall die of melancholy.

  (2560)

  277


  With her jet-black hair

  Unbound about her head,

  My sweet love

  Must now be in her Lone bed

  Anxiously awaiting me.

  (2564)

  278

  Longing for a girl of whom

  But a glimpse I caught

  Through a hedge of reeds,

  I heave a thousand melancholy sighs

  Each day.

  (2565)

  279

  "Meeting the girl you love,

  Eases the pangs of Longing,"

  'Tis what many say.

  Nevertheless, after meeting the girl,

  ALL the more to pine for her.

  (2567)

  280

  I shall die

  If I go on Longing for you,

  So I've Let my mother know

  That we are Lovers.

  Come see me whenever you will.

  (2570)

  281

  Carousing with friends-

  Men may well sport

  And amuse themselves,

  But I have to bear

  The gnawing pain of love.

  (2571)

  282

  Are you dying from love of me?

  You should lie more plausibly.

  From days of old,

  Who ever has perished for the love of one

  Whom he has never seen?

  (2572)

  283

  All night Long my hair

  Rested on his sturdy arm

  And his fond caressing hand.

  Though it is snarled this morn,

  I will keep it as it is.

  (2578)

  284

  Worthless fellow that I am—

  If I could remove

  Her fair charms

  From the depths of my heart,

  Why should I ever long for her?

  (2580)

  285

  Should I tell you of my love,

  Commonplace my words would sound,

  And too dull my speech.

  Too full is my heart for words.

  Too deep is my love for speech.

  (2581)

  286

  What a shameful act!

  What a sheer absurdity

  That at this age

  I should lose my heart in Love

  As young men are wont to do!

  (2582)

  287

  Nothing shall I gain

  If I should be so lovelorn

  As to die.

  So long as I am alive

  I can hope to meet my love.

  (2592)

  288

  I'm distraught with love

  For a lady to no avail.

  For when evening comes,

  It is in her husband's arms

  That she comfortably Lies.

  (2599)

  289

  Ever since I knew my love,

  With my flesh touching his,

  My consuming love for him,

  Ever growing in my breast,

  Gives me no rest or peace.

  (2612)

  In the original, the second line is more euphemistically expressed as:

  With my sleeves in touch with his.

  290

  When I tapped on the gate

  Of my dear love

  In the mountain depths,

  It echoed so loudly

  That I slept in the frost outside.

  (2616)

  291

  On our wedding night

  My young bride of tender age,

  Twixt innocent sweet smiles

  And sullen angry looks,

  Slowly untied her sash.

  (2627)

  292

  Her head resting on her arms

  And her glossy raven hair

  Spread around her neck,

  My sweet Love must anxiously

  Be waiting for me this night.

  (2631)

  293

  Before my eyes

  Floats the image of a girl

  In the glow of lamplight,

  Her lovely face

  Brightened in a smile.

  (2642)

  294

  Humble as a hut

  Stained with smoke and soot,

  Worn with age and cares,

  is my wife. But for all that,

  She's ever the Loveliest to me.

  (2651)

  295

  Never do I hear

  The clopping of a horse's hoofs

  But I go to watch

  From behind the pine trees,

  Hoping that it might be you.

  (2653)

  296

  Slanders and abuses

  Do not please the gods.

  whatever they may say of us,

  I will not deny or mind.

  You, upon people's Lips,

  Are the lover of my heart.

  (2659)

  297

  Not a day goes by

  But I visit holy shrines,

  Praying to the gods

  That the lover of my heart

  Each night may visit me.

  (2660)

  298

  Full bright was the moonlight.

  I was sure

  Dawn was yet far,

  Yet my Love and I overslept.

  Our affair has been revealed.

  (2665)

  299

  Straightening the bed,

  Brushing it with my sleeves,

  Anxiously I awaited you.

  In the meantime, the moon

  Sank low in the western sky.

  (2667)

  300

  'Tis a fine robe

  That I've sewn with all my heart

  For my dear one.

  All this rainy day,

  I've been anxious for his call.

  (2682)

  301

  The downpour has just passed,

  Starting leaks inside the walls

  Of the hut in the fields.

  Even the matted floor is wet.

  Lie tight against me, my dear.

  (2683)

  302

  Passing near the gate

  Of my sweet one,

  How I wish it would begin to rain—

  A good excuse

  For calling at her house!

  (2685)

  303

  All the weeds

  In the hemp fields

  Are wet with dew.

  You'd better leave after dawn,

  Even if mother discovers our tryst.

  (2687)

  304

  'Twas so cold Last night

  That the ground is white with frost.

  Day is dawning now.

  Walk with care,