Scan barcode
sanjubee's review
4.0
Even if I
repeated love’s name
forever,
could outward life match
the intensity of our hearts?
Every poem is so simple yet beautiful, and the section about translation at the book's end was very well-written! Definitely earned its place as one of my go-to books of short poetry.
daniemanos's review
5.0
I picked up this collection of poems because I lived next to Komachi's hometown. This era of writing is one of the few in human history that was dominated by women and my inner feminist delights in sharing such an intimate experience with these courtly women. Women have always been sexual and poetic and literary and these poems, though short, really pack a punch. The translators do an excellent job finding the English words that best serve these poems. I greatly enjoyed these poems and, years later, return to some frequently.
saniiaaaaa's review
5.0
This was unreal. Full of beautiful works, and incredibly relatable and timeless— I can’t believe these poems are from the 9th and 10th century. I had chills, I laughed, I teared up, I felt relief, I felt inspired.
rhaegals's review
4.0
Which is better,
to love
one who has died
or not to see
each other when you’re alive?
to love
one who has died
or not to see
each other when you’re alive?
teaviant13's review
4.0
I really am at quite a loss on how to review or respond to an anthology of poetry. I have promised myself I will leave more of a trail of my reading life so here goes nothing. First of all, how can you turn down a book with the title of Ink Dark Moon? Girl, I can't!
All of the poems are quite short and it made for some enjoyable before bed reading. There are some really incredible poems and some really incredible lines in this little tome. Mainly about secret love and yearnings.
margarete's review
4.0
a real treat to explore an era of poetry that i was so unfamiliar with. the Heian tradition of verse exchange is so fascinating! struck particularly by both Komachi and Shikibu's transition from personal emotion into the metaphysical. but most of all, i'm moved by Hirshfield's explorations of Heian poetics...i came away with fresh ideas of how to express desire and longing, and am excited to see how i can play with what i've learned.
"One of the deep pleasures in reading their poetry is discovering the way that, for these women, the metaphysics of religious teaching and the tumultuous course of the heart in love confirm a single truth, the impermanence of being."
"In the Japanese, it is the experience itself, not the subjective frame around it, that is offered in a poem and felt to be important."
"The act of writing a poem is not only a making but also a following: of the mystery of source as it emerges into form, of the wisdom of the heart and mind as it encounters the wisdom of language."
"One of the deep pleasures in reading their poetry is discovering the way that, for these women, the metaphysics of religious teaching and the tumultuous course of the heart in love confirm a single truth, the impermanence of being."
"In the Japanese, it is the experience itself, not the subjective frame around it, that is offered in a poem and felt to be important."
"The act of writing a poem is not only a making but also a following: of the mystery of source as it emerges into form, of the wisdom of the heart and mind as it encounters the wisdom of language."