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A Hundred Verses from Old Japan (The Hyakunin-isshu), tr. by William N. Porter, [1909], at sacred-texts.com


p. 21

21

THE PRIEST SOSEI

SOSEI HŌSHI

  Ima kon to
Iishi bakari ni
  Naga-tsuki no
Ariake no tsuki
Wo machi izuru kana.

THE moon that shone the whole night through
  This autumn morn I see,
As here I wait thy well-known step,
  For thou didst promise me—
  'I'll surely come to thee.'

Sosei is supposed to have been the son of Bishop Henjō, the writer of verse No. 12, born before the latter entered the church, about the year 850. His name as a layman was Hiro-nobu Yoshi-mine, and he became abbot of the Monastery of Riyau-inwin at Isono-kami, in the Province of Yamato.


Next: 22. Yasuhide Bunya: Bunya No Yasuhide