Page:The Spirit of Japanese Poetry (Noguchi).djvu/120

116 the court poets and poetesses to hold an Uta contest. Among the love poems on this occasion, this is one of the best, the other best one being Taira no Kanemori's Uta, which precedes this poem. The poetical umpire Ononomiya pronounced Kanemori's the better. Tadami took the failure too hard to his heart; and it is said that he died after ceasing to eat for some days.

The moon has nothing to make Me think and cry, But, alas, my own tears alone Do lament and fall."

Oh, thread of my life, Be torn off now if it must! I fear in longer life My secret would be hard to keep."

I might show thee How the Oshima island fishers' sleeves Never change their tints, though wet through. But, alas, tearful sleeves of mine!"