Musodo New Project: One-Line Treasure Bookmark Project 5 - A Tryst of Light

Good morning, everyone. I hope you are having a wonderful morning.
Today, we had a wonderful guest visit us for the bookstore cafe 'Musodo' project: #OneLineBookmark .
A wonderful guest has arrived.

Miwarasu-san shared a poem by Emperor Sutoku from the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu as their one-line treasure, a poem that I also hold dear.

When I savor Emperor Sutoku's poem again, I realize that within those mere thirty-three characters of 'Se wo hayami...', there is a will to one day be reunited, even while resisting a fate as turbulent as a rushing stream.
A life of strange twists: becoming emperor at a young age, being shunned by his father, abdicating the throne to his younger brother, and finally being sent into exile. While Emperor Sutoku is often spoken of as a vengeful spirit at the end of his life, if we look at his side as a poet, we find deep sentiment and human subtleties that remain.

Even the words from the Hogen Monogatari, if read not just as a vow of revenge, but as a voice lamenting the regret of not being able to return to the capital and the impermanence of a world that cannot be helped, resonate more poignantly. The softness and composure seen in his exchange of poems with Saigyo make one feel the refinement and richness of heart of a man of culture, rather than a mere mass of resentment.

If we imagine his sorrow and hope as a person through Emperor Sutoku's waka, without being bound by the image of a vengeful spirit, his life seems to be a story that emits a quiet light, one that cannot be fully told by curses alone. When you visit Shiramine Jingu and quietly press your hands together, perhaps the voice of 'I think of meeting you' from that poem will answer you from the distant past.

Though the rapids are swift

They are blocked by rocks, yet I think of meeting you in the end

A rushing torrent hits the rocks and is split in two.
Although this poem was composed in the distant past, it has relevance even today.

Emperor Sutoku, who continued to believe in himself and love others even after being exiled to Sanuki.
This poem, which likens that strong feeling to a love poem, can also be seen as a poem of incredible tenacity.

Miwarasu-san, thank you for visiting.
We look forward to seeing you again.

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