Page:Insect Literature by Lafcadio Hearn.djvu/332

Rh Matsu no ki ni

Sbimikomu gotoshi

Semi no koe.

A very large number of Japanese poems about semi describe the noise of the creatures as an affliction. To fully sympathize with the complaints of the poets, one must have heard certain varieties of Japanese cicadae in full midsummer chorus; but even by readers without experience of the clamor, the following verses will probably be found suggestive:—

Ware hitori

Atsui yō nari

Semi no koe.—Bunsō.

Ushiro kara

Tsukamu yō nari,—

Semi no koe.—Jofū.

註