(Last Updated On: 11/05/2019)

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Ancient Japanese memorial, pass on Tanka poems about death of friend, mother, and loved one

It would be common in any country or region to express the feelings of losing the important person as poems. In Japan, there is traditional fixed verse such as Tanka and haiku. And these poets have expressed sadness when their loved one died.　

From Man'yoshu

Otomo no Minaka

何時しかと待つらむ妹に玉梓の言だに告げず去にし君

Itsu shika / Matsu ramu imo ni/ Tamazusa no/ Koto dani tsuge zu/ Sarini shi kimi

When would you come back

The wife waited for you

But you passed away

Without telling anything

By a letter

*Sympathy poem for Hasetsukabe no Tatsumaro’s death

Otomo no Yakamochi

今よりは秋風寒く吹きなむをいかにか独り長き夜を寝む

Ima yori ha/ Akikaze samuku/ Fuki nam wo/ Ikani ka hitori/ Nagaki yo wo nem

From now

The autumn wind will

Start blow coldly

How can I sleep alone

During the long night

Author unknown

鏡なす吾が見し君を阿婆の野の花橘の玉に拾いつ

Kagami nasu/ Wa ga mishi kimi wo/ Abano no no/ Hanatachibana no/ Tama ni hiroi tsu

As a mirror

I saw you

I pick up on the Abano Field

Your burned bones

Which like mandarin orange blossoms

From Kokin-wakashu

Ki no Tsurayuki

明日知らぬわが身と思へど暮れぬ間の今日は人こそかなしかりけれ

Asu shiranu/ Waga mi to omoe do/ Kurenu ma no/ Kyo wa hito koso/ Kanashi kari kere

Though I don’t know

What will become of my fate

Today isn’t over yet

I’m grieving

*When he lost his cousin Ki no Tomonori

Mibu no Tadamine

墨染めの君が袂は雲なれや絶えず涙の雨とのみ降る

Sumizome no/ Kimi ga tamoto ha/ Kumo nare ya/ Tae zu namida no/ Ame to nomi furu

Is the sleeves of

Your sumi-ink dyed clothing

Clouds

As with tears

It rains incessantly

*For the one who was in mourning for the loved one’s death

Ariwara no Narihira

つひに行く道とはかねて聞きしかど昨日今日とは思はざりしを

Tsui ni yuku/ Michi toha kanete / Kiki shi kado/ Kino kyo toha omowa zarishi wo

Though I heard

Everyone goes this road

Eventually

I didn’t expect that

I’d be on it yesterday or today

From Shin Kokin-wakashu

Fujiwara Kanesuke

桜ちる春の末には成りにけり雨間もしらぬながめせしまに

Sakura chiru/ Haru no sue ni ha/ Nari ni keri/ Ama ma mo shira nu/ Nagame seshi ma ni

Cherry blossoms are falling

It have become

The end of spring

It have rained ceaselessly

I have seen

*When Daigo Emperor died

Fujiwara Toshitada

さらでだに露けき嵯峨の野辺に来て昔の跡にしをれぬるかな

Sarade dani/ Tsuyu keki saga no/ Nobe ni kite/ Mukashi no ato ni/ Shiore nuru kana

Even though

I come to Saga Fields

Showing signs of dewdrops

I’m at the graveyard

And languish with tears

*Visiting the grave of his father Fujiwara Tadaie

Minamoto no Morofusa

手すさびのはかなき跡と見しかども長き形見になりにけるかな

Tesusabi no/ Hakanaki ato to/ Mishi ka domo/ Nagaki katami ni/ Nari ni keru kana

I thought that

The handwriting was

Just a amuse yourself

But it became

Long memento

Other themes of Tanka poets

Best short Tanka poems about death by ancient Japanese poets