Cranston Yosano PDF

Carmine-Purple: A Translation of "Enji-Murasaki," the First Ninety-Eight Poems of Yosano
Akiko's Midaregami
Author(s): Edwin A. Cranston and Yosano Akiko
Source: The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese, Vol. 25, No. 1, Special
Issue: Yosano Akiko (1878-1942) (Apr., 1991), pp. 90-111
Published by: American Association of Teachers of Japanese
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/488912
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Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese 91
CARMINE-PURPLE:
A TRANSLATION OF "ENJI-MURASAKI,"
THE FIRST NINETY-EIGHT POEMS OF
YOSANO AKIKO'S MIDAREGAMI
Edwin A. Cranston
Yosano Akiko's first and most famous book, Midaregami (Tangled

Hair), was published by T6ky6 Shinshisha on August 15, 1901. It is
divided into six sections, "Enji-Murasaki" ("Carmine-Purple"), "Hasu
no Hanabune" ("The Lotus-Flower Boat"), "Shiroyuri" ("White Lily"),
"Hatachizuma" ("A Wife of Twenty"), "Maihime" ("The Dancing
Girl"), and "Haruomoi" ("Spring Thoughts"). "Enji-Murasaki," the
first and longest section, has ninety-eight poems. These tanka, drawn
from the poet's work over the year prior to publication, show Akiko's
early style in its full flower. A kaleidoscopic interlock of fantasy, ful-
fillment, pain, and passion, they sing the loveliness of spring, desire,
naked skin and caressing silk. The reader is often tempted to biographi-
cal interpretations, but not infrequently left stranded on the shores of a
personal universe of the imagination. Self-indulgent emotion and asser-
tions of "sinfulness" are flaunted in compressed prosody (the "sin" is
perhaps less convincing than the taut syntax that taxes it); color sym-
bolism of a fairly obvious nature embellishes radical morals and lan-
guage. In what follows the poems are left to speak for themselves and
to each other, in the rhythms of their sequentiality and the two
tongues given them. Date and place of first publication are indicated
for the poems that had already appeared before Midaregami.1
1 Yoru no ch6 ni In sweet whisperings

Sasamekitsukishi 'Neath the curtain of the night
Hoshi no ima o She, a star, would love-
Gekai no hito no Now fallen to the world below,
Bin no hotsure yo A mortal with disheveled hair.
- -- --
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2 Uta ni kike na Ask of poetry:

Tare no no hana ni Who from flowers in a field
Akaki inamu Rejects the red ones?
Omomuki aru kana How fascinating is her charm,
Haru tsumi motsu ko The sinful child in spring!
-My6j6, May 1901
3 Kami goshaku My five-foot tresses,

Tokinaba mizu ni Loosened, float on the water:
Yawarakaki Softly, tenderly
Otomegokoro wa Beats this maiden heart which I
Himete hanataji Shall keep secret, unbetrayed.
4 Chi zo moyuru My blood is afire:

Kasamu hitoyo no Stay, I'll lend you shelter
Yume no yado For a night of dreams;
Haru o yuku hito Traveler of spring, beware-
Kami otoshime na Do not scorn the gift of God.
-Myoj6, May 1901
5 Tsubaki sore mo Camellias, they too,

Ume mo sa nariki And the blossoms of the plum-
Shirokariki White, white were they all;
Wa ga tsumi towanu In the peach I see a hue
Iro momo ni miru That will not chide me for my sin.
-Myojo, May 1901
6 Sono ko hatachi The child is twenty now:

Kushi ni nagaruruThrough her comb cascading flows
Kurogami no Pride of long black hair,
Ogori no haru no Pomp of young magnificence,
Utsukushiki kana Fair extravagance of spring!
-Shotenchi, August 1901
7 D6 no kane no At low twilight

Hikuki ylbe o Sounding of the temple bell
Maegami no To the budding peach
Momo no tsubomi ni In the forelock of my hair
Ky6 tamae kimi Offer your sutra, love.
8 Murasaki ni Flushed with purple glow,

Momiura niou Silken garments lined in red,
Midarebako o Tossed in a clothes tray:
Kakushiwazurau These you'll be hard put to hide,
Yoi no haru no kami Dark god of evening spring.
-My6j6, March 1901
9 Enjiiro wa Color of carmine-

Tare ni kataramu Whom shall I tell of it?
Chi no yuragi Surging of blood,
Haru no onri no Yearning of springtime,
Sakari no inochi Life in full flower!
10 Murasaki no Deep purple rainbows

Koki niji tokishi Were the matter of his talk
Sakazuki ni Whose sake cup
Utsuru haru no ko Reflected of a child of spring
Mayuge kabosoki The eyebrow's slender arch.
-My6j6, May 1901
11 Konj o At dusk in spring

Kinu ni wa ga naku I weep for the dark daubs of blue
Haru no kure On the drawing silk;
Yamabukigasane My friend is robed in yellow rose,
Tomouta nebinu Her poems have grown wise.
-MyojO, July 1901
12 Mairu sake ni Make us a poem

Hi akaki yoi o For the lanterns of the night
Uta tamae Ruddy in the wine:
Onna harakara We sisters serve for nothing,
Botan ni na naki The peonies steal our name.
-My6j6, July 1901
13 Kaid6 ni Among the aronias

Y6 naku tokishi This rouge so needlessly dissolved
Beni sutete I fling away,
Yfisame miyaru And gaze out at the evening rain,
Hitomi yo tayuki Ah, with listless eyes.
-My6j6, July 1901
14 Mizu ni neshi We slept by the water

Saga no Oi no There in Saga by the River Oi-
Hitoyogami God of our single night,
Rogaya no suso no Keep the poems secret that we made
Uta himetamae Under our net of gauze.
15 Haru no kuni Country of spring,

Koi no mikuni no Fair country of love, pale
Asaborake Glimmering dawn:
Shiruki wa kami ka Sharply distinct-black hair?
Baika no abura Oil of plum blossom.
16 Ima wa yukamu "I must leave you now,

Saraba to iishi Farewell!" he said, the god of night,
Yo no kami no And at the touch
Misuso sawarite Of his gown's edge brushing past
Wa ga kami nurenu Drops of moisture wet my hair.
-My6j6, March 1901
17 Hosoki wa ga O love, reach beyond

Unaji ni amaru Where my slenderness pillows
Mite nobete In your tender arms:
Sasaetamae na Block his escape, I beg you,
Kaeru yo no kami This god of departing night.
-My6jo, March 1901
18 Kiyomizu e Gion toward Kiyomizu

Gion o yogiru On this eve of cherry-moon
Sakurazukiyo I wander through the town:
Koyoi au hito People passing in the street
Mina utsukushiki Are all beautiful tonight.
-MyOj6, May 1901
19 Aki no kami no The white rainbow

Mikeshi yori hikuTrailing from the garment
Shiroki niji Of the god of autumn
Monoomoukono Vanishes into the forehead
Hitae ni kienu Of a young girl lost in thought.
-My6j6, January 1901
20 Ky6 wa nigashi The sutras are bitter.

Haru no yfibe o In the quiet springtime dusk
Oku no in no There in the inner hall,
Nijfigo bosatsu Five-and-twenty holy saints,
Uta uketamae Take this verse in offering.
-MyOj6, March 1901
21 Yamagomori Hidden in the hills:

Kakute are na no Remain as you are awhile-
Mioshie yo So your instruction;
Beni tsukuru koro By the time this rouge is gone
Momo no hana sakamu Blossoms of the peach will bloom.
-My6j6, May 1901
22 Tokigami ni Through my loosened hair,

Muro mutsumaji no This chamber's soft caress, drifts
Yuri no kaori A fragrance of lilies,
Kie o ayabumu While the faintest flush of pink
Yo no tokiiro yo Almost fades into the night.
23 Kumo zo aoki See! The clouds are blue!

Kishi NatsuhimeShe
gahas come, the Summer Goddess,
Asa no kami And her morning hair
Utsukushii kana Flows in all its beauty
Mizu ni nagaruru In the water of the stream.
24 Yo no kami no Let me seize the sheep

Asa norikaeru Ridden by the god of night
Hitsuji torae Going away at dawn-
Chisaki makura no I'll hide him under my small
Shita ni kakusamu Pillow where he won't be found.
-My6jo, January 1901
25 Migiwa kuru By the silent shore

Ushikai otoko An oxherd plods: come, fellow,
Uta are na Let us have a song!
Aki no mizuumi The waters of the autumn lake
Amari sabishiki Are too lonely to endure.
-Myojo, October 1900
26 Yawahada no Beneath my soft skin

Atsuki chishio ni Pulses the hot tide of blood
Fure mo mide You have never tried
Sabishikarazu ya To touch; aren't you lonely,
Michi o toku kimi O young preacher of the Way?
-Myojo, October 1900
27 Yurushitamae Forgive, I pray you,

Arazuba koso no One who now would be far better
Ima no wa ga mi Did she not exist:
Usumurasaki no The light purple of this wine
Sake utsukushiki Is beautiful to her.
-MyOjO, March 1901
28 Wasuregataki Not soon forgotten:

To nomi ni shumi o Let this be the savor
Mitomemase You keep of our love-
Tokaji murasaki Of purple I'll preach no more,
Sono aki no hana O flower of autumn fields.
-My6j6, May 1901
29 Hito kaesazu The spring day draws to dusk

Kuremu no haru no
Without returning him to me-
Yoigokochi This evening mood:
Ogoto ni motasu Across my cithern I let fall
Midaremidaregami My tangled tangled hair.
30 Tamakura ni Pillowed on my arm,

Bin no hitosuji A strand of my sidelocks snapped
Kireshi ne o With a noise that sounded
Ogoto to kikishi Like a string of my cithern plucked
Haru no yo no yume In a dream on a night in spring.
-My6j6, March 1901
31 Harusame ni Oh, the grass-grown gate

Nurete kimi koshi Through which you came, my lord,
Kusa no kado yo Wet with the spring rain:
Omowaregao no Evening of the aronia
Kaid6 no yd Proud-faced with being loved.
-My6dj, July 1901
32 Ogusa iinu The little grasses said,

"Yoeru namida no "In the hue of drunken tears
Iro ni sakamu The flower will bloom;
Sore made kakute Until then stay as you are-
Samezare na otome" Do not wake, O maiden!"
-Myj6, March 1901
33 Makiba idete Down from the pasture,

Minami ni hashiru Running south across the fields,
Mizu nagashi Water winds afar:
Sate mo midori no That green stretch of earth, my love,
No ni fusau kimi Your young beauty matches well.
34 Ham yo oi na Spring, do not grow old!

Fuji ni yoritaru Where wisteria entwines
Yo no maidono Pavilions of the night,
Inarabu kora yo Young dancers row on row,
Tsuka no ma oi na Grow not a hand's breadth old!
35 Ame miyuru Rain on the lake ...

Ukiba shirahasu Floating leaves, white lotus-
Eshi no kimi ni Artist friend,
Kasa mairasuru I'll hold the umbrella for you
Sanjaku no fune Here in our tiny boat.
-MyojO, July 1901
36 Mis6 itodo To that grave countenance

Shitashimiyasuki
Easily my heart drew near,
Natsukashiki As to a dear friend:
Wakaba kodachi no The Buddha Vairocana
Naka no Rushanabutsu Among the young leaves of his grove.
37 Sate semu na Wait before you blame-

Takaki ni nobori Can it be, climbing to such heights,
Kimi mizu ya You still don't see
Ake no namida no The aftermath of crimson tears
Y6g6 no ato Across the endless past?
38 Harusame ni Into the spring rain

Yube no miya o Wandering at twilight
Mayoiideshi From the temple grounds:
Kohitsuji kimi o A lost lamb, yearning toward you,
Norowashi no ware A curse filling my heart.
39 Yuami sum Bathing in the spring,

Izumi no soko no Lapped in the warm water lay
Sayuribana A fair white lily-
Hatachi no natsu o The summer of my twentieth year
Utsukushi to minu Was lovely to my gaze.
-Sh6tenchi, August 1901
40 Midaregokochi Tangled desires,

Madoigokochi zo Blind, errant desires
Shikiri naru Ever upon me:
Yuri fumu kami ni From the god who tramples lilies
Chichi 6iaezu I cannot cover my breasts.
41 Kurenai no From the deep red rose,

Bara no kasane no The two joined petals
Kuchibiru ni Of your lips, let fall
Rei no ka no naki No songs that are not redolent
Uta nosemasu na With the fragrance of your soul.
42 Tabi no yado Travel lodgings:

Mizu ni hashii no By the water, on the veranda
S6 no kimi o You were seated:
Imiji to nakinu Priest, I wept for you, too cruel.
Natsu no yo no tsuki Moon of the summer night.
43 Haru no yo no Sweet wind

Yami no naka kuru Coming amid the dark
Amaki kaze Of a spring night,
Shibashi kano ko gaDo not blow upon her hair
Kami ni fukazare Yet for a little while.
44 Mizu ni uete Thirsting for water,

Mori o samayou Hopelessly astray, the lamb
Kohitsuji no Wanders in the woods:
Sono manazashi ni That look in its famished eyes-
Nitarazu ya kimi Love, is it not like mine?
-Myoj6, October 1900
45 Ta zo yibe Someone by the aimless

Higashi Ikoma no Clouds at evening eastward
Yama no ue no Over Mount Ikoma
Mayoi no kumo ni Divine the child an omen
Kono ko uranae To guide her wandering.
-Myojo, March 1901
46 Kuimasu na Have no regrets:

Osaeshi sode ni The broken sword, held down
Oreshi tsurugi By the smothering sleeve;
Tsui no omoi no The ultimate ideal must be
Hana ni toge araji A flower without thorns.
-My6jo, March 1901
47 Nukagoshi ni With upturned eyes

Ake no tsuki miru I gaze at the dawning moon.
Kamogawa no In Kamo River's
Asamizuiro no Pale blue water-color dyed
Midaremozome yo This random seaweed pattern.
48 Misode kukuri He had his sleeves tied up,

Kaerimasu ka no Are you going home, then? From
Usuyami no Faint glimmering
Obashima natsu no Dark balustrade summer
Kamogawa no kami God of the River Kamo.
49 Nao yuruse Grant us yet awhile:

Mikuni t6kuba If your land is far away,
Yo no mikami O god of the night,
Benisara fune ni I shall send you on your way
Okurimairasemu With my rouge dish for your boat.
50 Kurui no ko Child of madness-

Ware ni hon6 no For me the wings of flame
Hane karoki Were light to wear:
Hyakusanjuiri For a hundred thirty leagues
Awatadashi no tabi Wild panicked hurtling flight.
51 Ima koko ni Now, here, all at once

Kaerimi sureba I look back and realize
Wa ga nasake My passion has been
Yami oosorenu Very like one who is blind
Meshii ni nitari And does not fear the dark.
-My6j6, October 1900
102 Volume 25, Number I
52 Utsukushiki So beautiful-
Inochi o oshi to A life I should regret to take,
Kami no iinu The god says now,
Negai no sore wa Though the bargain that we made
Hatashiteshi ima He has kept at last.
-My6jO, March 1901
53 Wakaki oyubi Her young finger,

Gofun o toku ni Poised to dissolve the white pigment,
Madoi ari Hesitates, lost-
Yfigure samuki In the dusk of evening cold
Mokuren no hana Magnolias all in flower.
-My6j6, May 1901
54 Yurusareshi For this little while

Asayos6i no I have been allowed by you
Shibaraku o For morning makeup,
Kimi ni utae na May the mountain warbler come
Yama no uguisu And sing to you, my lover!
-My6j6, May 1901
55 Fushimase to When I said, "Sleep well!"

And I turned to leave the room,
Sono ma sagarishi
Haru no yoi Spring dusk still hovered
Ik6 ni kakeshi Over the clothes rack hanging
Misode katsuginu Sleeves I pressed against my cheek.
-My6jO, May 1901
56 Midaregami o When I changed my hair,

Ky6 no Shimada ni All in a tangle, to the sleek
Kaeshi asa Kyoto Shimada,
Fushite imase no I shook you awake in the morning,
Kimi yuriokosu Not saying, for once, "Sleep more!"
-My6j6, May 1901
57 Shinobiashi ni With stealthy footsteps

Kimi o oiyuku Softly I pursue you, love,
Usuzukiyo Through hazy moonlight,
Migi no tamoto no And my right sleeve is heavy
Fumigara omoki With the hoard of your letters.
-Mydj6, January 1901
58 Murasaki ni In purple
Ogusa ga ue e Over the young grasses falls
Kage ochinu A shadow now:
No no harukaze ni Morning, combing her hair
Kami kezuru asa In the spring breeze from the fields.
-My6j6, March 1901
59 Ehigasa o My picture parasol

Kanata no kishi no I pitch across to the grass
Kusa ni nage On the farther bank;
Wataru ogawa yo Wading through you, little brook,
Haru no mizu nuruki How warm your water in spring!
-My6j6, March 1901
60 Shirakabe e Onto a white wall

Uta hitotsu somemu One poem let me dye in black-
Negai nite This was my desire,
Kasa wa arazariki And no sedge hat covered me
Nihyakuri no tabi On the road of two hundred leagues.
-My6j6, March 1901
61 Saga no kimi o Lover in Saga,

Uta ni kase na no On the morning you bade me,
Asa no susabi "Come, lend me to song!"
Suneshi kagami no I sulked at the mirror-admiring
Wa ga natsusugata My figure in summer dress.
62 Fusaishiranu On white bush clover-

Niibito kazasu Hardly suitable, could she have known-
Shirahagi ni In the new bride's hair
Koyoi no kami no The god of that night quietly
Soto kataemishi Smiled his one-sided smile.
63 Hitoeda no If we break one branch

No no ume oraba Of the wild plum in the moorland,
Tarinubeshi It should suffice:
Kore karisome no Ours is a parting only for now-
Karisome no wakare Only for now do we part.
-My6jo, March 1901
64 Uguisu wa "A warbler?

Kimi ga yume yo to Only in your dream," I said,
Modokinagara Disputing your claim;
Midori no tobari But just the same stole out of bed
Soto kakagemiru To peep from the green curtain.
-MyojO, March 1901
65 Murasaki no From purple rainbows

Niji no shitatari Came the droplets running down,
Hana ni ochite Spilling on flowers,
Narishi kaina no And the flowers became my arms-
Yume utagau na Rest, do not doubt your dream.
66 Hototogisu A cuckoo calling...

Saga e wa ichiri One league away toward Saga,
Kyo e sanri Three leagues to Ky ...
Mizu no Kiyotaki Waterfalls at Kiyotaki:
Yo no akeyasuki The dawn comes early here.
-MyOjO, July 1901
67 Murasaki no The lone purple

Ris6 no kumo wa Cloud of the Ideal was torn,
Chigire chigire Torn into shreds;
Aogu wa ga sora Now I look up at my sky-
Sore hata kienu Even those'have dissolved in air.
-My6j6, March 1901
68 Chibusa osae Pressing down my breasts,

Shimpi no tobariSilently I kick aside
Soto kerinu The mystic curtain:
Koko naru hana no Here a crimson flower blooms,
Kurenai zo koki Deep in its roseate hue.
-My6j6, March 1901
69 Kami no sena ni On the back of God

Hiroki nagame o For the broad view-come, don't
Negawazu ya You aspire to it,
Ima katakata no Your other half still dangling
Sode zo murasaki Sleeve's deep purple?
-MyOj6, July 1901
70 Toyagokoro Moulting heart...

Asa no ogoto no Morning, of my little lute
Yotsu no o no One of the four strings
Hitotsu o towa ni God has broken suddenly
Kami kirisuteshi And forever cast aside.
71 Hiku sode ni Spring was young,

Kataemi morasu Smiling a one-sided smile
Haru zo wakaki For the sleeve I pulled:
Asa no ushio no Morning, and the rushing tide
Koi no tawabure Brought playfulness to love.
106 Volume 25, Number I
72 Kure no haru The last days of spring ...

Tonari sumu eshi Artist in the house next door,
Utsukushiki You are beautiful;
Kesa yamabuki ni This morning among yellow roses
Koe wakakarishi Mingled a voice that was young.
-MyojO, July 1901
73 Satobito ni Someone from home:

Tonari yashiki noAnd is it in bloom, I inquired,
Shirafuji no The white wisteria
Hana wa to nomi ni In the garden next to ours?
Toi mo kanetaru I couldn't make myself ask.
-Myojo, July 1901
74 Hito ni soite Kneeling by his side

Shikimi sasaguruTo offer sprigs of anise
Komorizuma Was the secret wife:
Haha naru kimi o You were his mother, for you
Mihaka ni nakinu The tears I shed at the grave.
-MyOjO, March 1901
75 Nani to naku How could it have been?

Kimi ni mataruru Over me the feeling sto
Kokochi shite That you were waiting;
Ideshi hanano no I went out on a flowery field:
Yiizukuyo kana Twilight and the crescent moon.
-Shincho, September 1900
76 Obashima ni On the balustrade

Omoi hatenaki Heavily, with endless thoughts,
Mi o motase I leaned my body,
Kohagi o wataru Idly watching the autumn wind
Aki no kaze miru Come blowing through bush clover.
-My6j6, September 1900
77 Yuami shite Stepping from the spring

Izumi o ideshi All steaming from the warm water,
Yawahada ni I found my skin
Fururu wa tsuraki I1l accustomed to the touch
Hito no yo no kinu Of the rough clothes of the world.
-Myoj6, October 1900
78 Urishi koto ni From the sold cithern

Mutsubi no kyoku oComes a beloved melody
Noseshi hibiki Lingering in the strings;
Aumagadoki no Now in sinister twilight
Kuroyuri orenu A black lily breaks.
79 Usurono no From her gauzy sleeve,

Nishaku no tamoto Two feet long, the fireflies
Suberiochite Slip and tumble down,
Hotaru nagaruru Flowing away like a river
Yokaze no aoki In the blue of the night wind.
80 Koi naranu Waking with no longing,

Nezame tatazumu I walked out in the wideness
No no hirosa Of an unsown field,
Na nashi ogawa no And there a nameless river ran,
Utsukushiki natsu Lovely in summer's morn
81 Kono omoi This yearning-

Nan to naramu no What is to become of it,
Madoi mochishi I wondered yesterday;
Sono kin6 sura Yes, even then I was lonely,
Sabishikarishi ware Holding my lostness close.
Volume 25, Number I
82 Oritachite Down to the garden

Utsutsu naki mi no Wandered an unreal self to see
Botan minu Peonies in bloom;
Sozoro ya yoru o J How I trembled: in the night
Ch6 no ne ni koshi A butterfly had come to sleep.
83 Sono namida Those tears-

Nogou enishi wa 1 [ was not fated in the end
Motazariki To wipe them away;
Sabishi no mizu ni ] In the waters of the lonely
Mishi hatsukazuki I [ saw a half-waned moon.
-Shironiji, June 1901
84 Mizu jiri Ten leagues by water-

Yfibe no funeoHelplessly she sends away
Ada ni yariteThe evening boat;
Yanagi ni yoru ko ] Her brow is lovely, the young girl
Nuka utsukushiki Who leans against a willow.
-otome -the maiden
85 Tabi no mi no For a traveling man

Okawa hitotsu Shall one river be enough
Madowamu ya For lost endeavor?
Shizuka ni niki no < Quietly he crosses out
Sato no na keshinu The village name from his diary.
-tabibito -the traveler
86 Ogasa torite Umbrella in hand,

Asa no mizu kumu ] In the morning draw the water-
Ware to koso This is what I chose,
Homugi aoao ] In this village where light rain
Kosame furu sato 1 Bends over the green, green wheat.
-My6j6, July 1901
87 Oto ni tachite At a sound I stood,

Ogawa o nozoku Went and looked from the window
Uba ga komado By the little stream-
Kosame no naka ni Here at nurse's house I saw
Yamabuki no chiru Yellow roses scatter in light rain.
-My6j6, July 1901
88 Koi ka chi ka Is it desire?

Botan ni tsukishi Is it blood? The peony
Haru no omoi Draws all spring's yearning;
Tonoi no yoi no Spent, this night of palace watch
Hitori uta naki Must lack one poet's poem.
-My6j6, July 1901
89 Nagaki uta o The Grand Hall at night:

Botan ni are no "Let there be long poems made
Yoi no otodo Upon these peonies";
Tsuma to naru mi no But I who am to be a wife
Ware nukeideshi Slipped away unseen.
-MyOjO, July 1901
90 Haru mitsuki Three months of spring

Ji okanu koto ni Without ever setting bridge
Oto tatenu To cithern strings;
Fureshi sozoro no But tonight a lock of hair,
Yoi no midaregami Loosening, brushed weird strains.
91 Izuko made "Whither away so fast?"

Kimi wa kaeru to Last night a voice said to me
Yibe no ni As I crossed the fields;
Wa ga sode hikinu At the tug on my sleeve I turned
Hane aru warawa And found a boy with wings.
-My6j6, December 1900
92 YOgureno In the dusk at eve

To ni yori kimi ga You leaned against the door and sang
Utau uta A song that went,
"Uki sato sarite "Let me leave this weary land,
Yukite kaeraji" Let me go and never come again."
-MyOj6, December 1900
93 Sabishisa ni "I have come to you,

Hyakunijuri o Reckless, a hundred twenty leagues,
Sozoro kinu to In my loneliness":
Iu hito araba If a man were to tell me,
Araba ika naramu Tell me this, what would happen?
-Myoj6, December 1900
94 Kimi ga uta ni Do you know who it was,

Sode kamishi ko o The girl that bit her sleeve
Tare to shiru Over your poem?
Naniwa no yado wa At the inn in Naniwa
Aki samukariki Autumn this year was cold.
-MyOjo, December 1900
95 Sono hi yori Ever since that day

Tama ni wakareshi I who parted with my soul
Ware mukuro Have been a corpse;
Utsukushi to miba Let those who think it beautiful
Hito ni toburae Pay their respects to him.
-Myojo, May 1901
96 Ima no ware ni Pray do not ask me

Uta no ari ya o How the poems go these days-
Toimasu na Not as I am now:
Ji naki hosoito Five-and-twenty slender strings
Kore nijfdgogen Without a bridge hang slack.
-My6j6, May 1901
97 Kami no sadame The decree of God,

Inochi no hibiki The last plangent cry of life,
Tsui no wa ga yo My world's end:
Koto ni ono utsu Listen, love, to the cithern
Oto kikitamae Resounding under the axe.
-My6j6, March 1901
98 Hito futari How the pair of us

Busai no niji o Laughed in our poems at the two
Uta ni eminu Words "no" and "talent";
Koi nimannen Which is longer, poetry,
Nagaki mijikaki Or love's two myriad years?
-My6j6, May 1901
NOTE
1. I have consulted Satake Kazuhiko, Zenshaku Midaregami kenkyu

(Yfih6d6, 1969) and Itsumi Kumi, Midaregami zenshaku (Offisha,
1986) in making the translations. Several of the translations have
previously appeared in the translator's "Young Akiko: The Liter-
ary Debut of Yosano Akiko (1878-1942)," Literature East & West
(1974).

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Carmine-Purple: A Translation of "Enji-Murasaki," the First Ninety-Eight Poems of Yosano

American Association of Teachers of Japanese is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize,

Yosano Akiko's first and most famous book, Midaregami (Tangled

1 Yoru no ch6 ni In sweet whisperings

90 Volume 25, Number 1

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2 Uta ni kike na Ask of poetry:

3 Kami goshaku My five-foot tresses,

4 Chi zo moyuru My blood is afire:

5 Tsubaki sore mo Camellias, they too,

6 Sono ko hatachi The child is twenty now:

7 D6 no kane no At low twilight

8 Murasaki ni Flushed with purple glow,

9 Enjiiro wa Color of carmine-

10 Murasaki no Deep purple rainbows

11 Konj o At dusk in spring

12 Mairu sake ni Make us a poem

13 Kaid6 ni Among the aronias

14 Mizu ni neshi We slept by the water

15 Haru no kuni Country of spring,

16 Ima wa yukamu "I must leave you now,

17 Hosoki wa ga O love, reach beyond

18 Kiyomizu e Gion toward Kiyomizu

19 Aki no kami no The white rainbow

20 Ky6 wa nigashi The sutras are bitter.

21 Yamagomori Hidden in the hills:

22 Tokigami ni Through my loosened hair,

23 Kumo zo aoki See! The clouds are blue!

24 Yo no kami no Let me seize the sheep

25 Migiwa kuru By the silent shore

26 Yawahada no Beneath my soft skin

27 Yurushitamae Forgive, I pray you,

28 Wasuregataki Not soon forgotten:

29 Hito kaesazu The spring day draws to dusk

30 Tamakura ni Pillowed on my arm,

31 Harusame ni Oh, the grass-grown gate

32 Ogusa iinu The little grasses said,

33 Makiba idete Down from the pasture,

34 Ham yo oi na Spring, do not grow old!

35 Ame miyuru Rain on the lake ...

36 Mis6 itodo To that grave countenance

37 Sate semu na Wait before you blame-

38 Harusame ni Into the spring rain

39 Yuami sum Bathing in the spring,

40 Midaregokochi Tangled desires,

41 Kurenai no From the deep red rose,

42 Tabi no yado Travel lodgings:

43 Haru no yo no Sweet wind

44 Mizu ni uete Thirsting for water,

45 Ta zo yibe Someone by the aimless

46 Kuimasu na Have no regrets:

47 Nukagoshi ni With upturned eyes

48 Misode kukuri He had his sleeves tied up,

49 Nao yuruse Grant us yet awhile:

50 Kurui no ko Child of madness-

51 Ima koko ni Now, here, all at once

53 Wakaki oyubi Her young finger,

54 Yurusareshi For this little while