Playing with the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu: Poem 72

I have heard of the fickle waves at Takashinohama, so I will not let them touch me, lest my sleeves become wet.

Kii, of the household of Imperial Princess Yushi (dates of birth and death unknown)

Source: Kinyoshu

I know the rumors that you are a flirt. I wouldn't take your words seriously, knowing I would end up crying later.

It is a lovely poem. It was composed by Kii of the household of Imperial Princess Yushi when she was 70 years old. I admire a woman like this.

Kii of the household of Imperial Princess Yushi served Imperial Princess Yushi, daughter of Emperor Go-Suzaku, alongside her mother, Koben. She was the daughter of Taira no Tsunekata and is said to have been the wife (or sister, according to some theories) of Fujiwara no Shitsune, but almost nothing else is known about her.

Poem 72 is said to have been composed at the 'Horikawa-in Ensho-awase' (Love Letter Poetry Contest) held in May 1102. An 'Ensho-awase' was a poetry gathering where noblemen sent love poems to court ladies, and the ladies would respond with their own poems.

The poem sent to the then 70-year-old Kii on that occasion was by the 29-year-old Fujiwara no Toshitada:

I have a secret love for you; just as the waves approach the shore in the sea breeze, I wish to tell you how I feel when night falls.

It was.

The meaning is: 'I have a secret love for you. Like the waves approaching the shore in the sea breeze, I want to come to you when night falls.'

It is a poem with that meaning, and it is quite skillful, using wordplay between 'yoru' (to approach) and 'yoru' (night), and 'ariso' (rocky shore) hidden within 'ari sono' (there is a... on the shore). However, Kii's poem went even further.

Using plenty of words associated with waves such as 'takashi' (high/Takashi), 'adanami' (fickle waves), 'kakeji' (will not let touch/hang), and 'nure' (wet), she charmingly mocks the man's flirtatious heart.

When the 70-year-old lady-in-waiting, a senior in life, recited her poem, I imagine not only the person she was responding to but everyone participating in the poetry contest felt like applauding.

In Howl's Moving Castle, Sophie, having turned into an old woman, says, "The best thing about being old is that you have so little to lose." That may indeed be true. However, I feel there is more to it than that.

Getting older means having accumulated that much more experience. Even if one has lived a perfectly ordinary life, they have already experienced things that we, who are younger, do not know, and they possess that knowledge. The wisdom held by our grandparents is an incredible treasure.

Even if grandparents are very talkative, I feel they don't often share their daily experiences. This is because, to them, those things are just too ordinary. Yet, to us youngsters, those can be surprising pieces of knowledge or experience.

My grandparents have already passed away, but my parents are still healthy. I want to make sure I talk with them a lot.

Old stories like turning the sun-bleached pages of a book, along with 3 o'clock tea

Yuko