The Poetess Michitsuna no Haha, from the series "The Thirty-six Immortal Women Poets (Nishikizuri onna sanjurokkasen)"
Edo period (1615–1868), 1801
Chobunsai Eishi Japanese, 1756-1829
Japan
This poem is in the calligraphy of Toyota Ito, age 10, the elder sister of Toyota Mine, who recorded the previous poem.
Have we come to the end?
If you appeared, even in reflection,
That is what I would ask.
But on the pool of remembrance
How the water-weed has grown!
(Translation by Andrew J. Pekarik)
Pages from a color woodblock-printed volume