Kokinshu Poems (Assignment #1)

Kokinshu, #70

If saying "stay!"
would stop their
falling, could I hold
these blossoms
more dear?
- Anonymous

This poem relates back to what we have said in class about the Cherry Blossoms, how they are only in bloom for a short while. I really like how this poem ends with a question because it is then up to the reader to figure out if the author meant that if the blossoms stayed longer he would love them more, or if he would love them less. I took it as the latter, as we know the Cherry Blossoms are loved by the Japanese because they are something that you can only see once a year, and so there is so much anticipation surrounding the blooming of these blossoms that to be able to control how long they exist would be to tarnish what the blossoms are. It is similar to how a child always wants it to be their birthday, because that day is special and filled with wonderful things, but if everyday was like that then their birthday would no longer have a special meaning.

Kokinshu, #656
In the waking world
perhaps it must be so,
but even in my dreams
to see him hide from others' eyes
is misery itself.
-Ono no Komachi

Compared to the beautiful poem below this, this poem is filled with doubt and disillusionment. Ono no Komachi is commenting on how the dream world she could meet with her lover and enjoy their company together before, but now that the waking world is encroaching on her dream land paradise she cannot act as she once did. (It must suck to not even be able to dream freely anymore because you have to continue to act the way you do when you are awake.) Also, considering the the poem below this is written by the same author, it is quite interesting how much of a turn around she has had about her dreams. In the poem below she writes how she has come to only trust her dreams, but in this poem she almost curses them for not letting her be with the person she loves freely. I also think the last lines of both poems "I've learned to trust" and "is misery itself" are both very interesting to compare. This could also be a statement about how she feels towards her lover; she has learned to trust him, and then as their love heads towards its end being with him is 'misery itself'.


And a third for added bonus. Great contrast to the above poem.

Kokinshu, #553

Seeing in my sleep
the one whom I love,
it's these things
called dreams
I've learned to trust.
-Ono no Komachi
(I stole this from Kendra's blog)