79. The Shinto Official Aki-suke, of the Left Side of the Capital: Sakyō no Taiu Aki-suke
79
THE SHINTO OFFICIAL AKI-SUKE, OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAPITAL
SAKYŌ NO TAIU AKI-SUKE
Aki kaze ni
Tanabiku kumo no
Taema yori
More-izaru tsuki no
Kage no sayakesa.
Tanabiku kumo no
Taema yori
More-izaru tsuki no
Kage no sayakesa.
SEE how the wind of autumn drives
The clouds to left and right,
While in between the moon peeps out,
Dispersing with her light
The darkness of the night.
Aki-suke died about the year 1155. More-izuru literally means, that the light of the moon 'leaks out'; the verse is a charming example of a Japanese picture-poem. Probably the first word of the verse was purposely made to coincide with the poet's first name in sound, although the two words are written with different characters in the original.