Japanese Literature Part 36

And thy dear name my lips should pa.s.s, My blushes would our love declare; No, no! I'll say my longing was To see the moon appear O'er yonder darkling hill; Yet 'tis on thee mine eyes would gaze their fill.

_Anon_.

THE OMEN[143]

Yes! 'twas the hour when all my hopes Seemed idle as the dews that shake And tremble in their lotus-cups By deep Tsurugi's lake-- 'Twas then the omen said:-- "Fear not! he'll come his own dear love to wed."

What though my mother bids me flee Thy fond embrace? No heed I take; As pure, as deep my love for thee As Kiyosumi's lake.

One thought fills all my heart:-- When wilt thou come no more again to part?

_Anon_.

A MAIDEN'S LAMENT

Full oft he swore, with accents true and tender, "Though years roll by, my love shall ne'er wax old!"

And so to him my heart I did surrender, Clear as a mirror of pure burnished gold;

And from that day, unlike the seaweed bending To ev'ry wave raised by the summer gust, Firm stood my heart, on him alone depending, As the bold seaman in his ship doth trust.

Is it some cruel G.o.d that hath bereft me?

Or hath some mortal stol'n away his heart?

No word, no letter since the day he left me, Nor more he cometh, ne'er again to part!

In vain I weep, in helpless, hopeless sorrow, From earliest morn until the close of day; In vain, till radiant dawn brings back the morrow, I sigh the weary, weary nights away.

No need to tell how young I am and slender-- A little maid that in thy palm could lie:-- Still for some message comforting and tender, I pace the room in sad expectancy.

_The Lady Sakanouhe_.

RAIN AND SNOW

Forever on Mikane's crest, That soars so far away, The rain it rains in ceaseless sheets, The snow it snows all day.

And ceaseless as the rain and snow That fall from heaven above, So ceaselessly, since first we met, I love my darling love.

_Anon_.

MOUNT MIKASH

Oft in the misty spring The vapors roll o'er Mount Mikash's crest, While, pausing not to rest, The birds each morn with plaintive note do sing.

Like to the mists of spring My heart is rent; for, like the song of birds, Still all unanswered ring The tender accents of my pa.s.sionate words.

I call her ev'ry day Till daylight fades away; I call her ev'ry night Till dawn restores the light;-- But my fond prayers are all too weak to bring My darling back to sight.

_Akahito._

EVENING

From the loud wave-washed sh.o.r.e Wend I my way, Hast'ning o'er many a flow'r, At close of day-- On past Kusaka's crest, Onward to thee, Sweet as the loveliest Flower of the lea!

_Anon._

[Note.--A note to the original says: "The name of the composer of the above song was not given because he was of obscure rank," a reason which will sound strange to European ears.]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 141: The play in the original is on the word Matsu, which has the double signification of "a pine-tree" and "to wait."]

[Footnote 142: Mount Lover and Mount Lady-love (Se-yama and Imo-yama) in the province of Yamato.]

[Footnote 143: The reference in this song is to an old superst.i.tion.

It used to be supposed that the chance words caught from the mouths of pa.s.sers-by would solve any doubt on questions to which it might otherwise be impossible to obtain an answer. This was called the yufu-ura, or "evening divination," on account of its being practised in the evening. It has been found impossible in this instance to follow the original very closely.]

ELEGIES

ON THE DEATH OF THE MIKADO TENJI[144]

_By One of His Ladies_

Alas! poor mortal maid! unfit to hold High converse with the glorious G.o.ds above,[145]

Each morn that breaks still finds me unconsoled, Each hour still hears me sighing for thy love.

Wert thou a precious stone, I'd clasp thee tight Around mine arm; wert thou a silken dress I'd ne'er discard thee, either day or night:-- Last night, sweet love! I dreamt I saw thy face.