Status Updates From One Hundred Poets, One Poem...

Attributed to Tenji emperor (VII century): "in the autumn fields, the temporary hut: its thatch is rough, and the sleeves of my robe are dampened with dew". Dew forms at night in the coarse hut where the rice farmer resides, and is associated with tears of solitude. There is a very beautiful Utagawa print (1842) that contrasts the farmers, hard at work, and the emperor, sitting idly in a residence in the background.

This year want to tackle the most popular collection of poems in Japanese literature, spacing from the Asuka 飛鳥 period (592-710) to the Kamakura 鎌倉 period (1168-1333). I'm taking advantage of the fact that I now have a professional commentary booklet, a fun middle-school-targeted manga commentary, and did some research for a uni project, and also use this site as a source: https://100poets.com/. let's dive in :)

My poetry selection this month from my personal collection! I’ve wanted to read this for years, since watching Chihayafuru for the first time.

these guys look so goofy