No.9 Vanity Of Vanities
Ono No Komachi in a drawing from 1648
9th century. Komachi was famous for her poetry and beauty, and Komachi is a synonym for beauty in Japan today. She is one of the Rokkasen – the six best Waka poets of the Heian period. She is also one of five female poets belonging to the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry.
Vanity Of Vanities
Color of the flower
Has already passed away
While on trivial things
Vainly I have set my gaze,
In my journey through the world.
Ono no Komachi (Komachi of Ono)
Hana no iro wa
Utsuri ni keri na
Itazura ni
Waga mi yo ni furu
Nagame seshi ma ni.
About this poetry
At Salty Dog Digital we’ve decided to gradually republish Clay MacCauley’s translation of Single Songs of a Hundred Poets – a collection of japanese poetry from the seventh through thirteenth centuries. Sixty four of these poems are the rewards in our game fourtex zen.
No.10 At The Ōsaka Barrier
No.8 A Buddhist's Reflection