Ise no Taifu

Her contemporaries include Uma no Naishi, Murasaki Shikibu, and Sei Shōnagon. A diptych of her exists in Nihon Meijo Banashi (Stories of Famous Japanese Women), implying that although little of her work exists into modernity, she was considered a critically important figurehead of the waka poetry movement, both as a Poetry Immortal and as a woman of renown. Her grandfather, Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu, was also an important waka poet. Her mother, Kura no Myobu, served Fujiwara no Yorimichi, the first son of the powerful Michinaga, so she could get a support and joined to the imperial court. She became friends with Murasaki Shikibu and Izumi Shikibu. She was talented in music, so she was very popular and noble lady-in-waiting who moreover, could write poems and songs.

Only a few of no Taifu's poems have survived into modernity, translated in part due to Waka poetry anthologies: • Japanese ||Rōmaji||English • 散り積もる 木の葉が下の 忘れ水 澄むとも見えず 絶間のみして — Chiritsumoru Konoha ga shita no Wasuremizu Sumu tomo miezu Taema nomi shite — Scattered and drifted are The leaves from the trees, and beneath is A forgotten stream How unclear it seems, Appearing only now and then... One of her poems was included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu: • Japanese||Rōmaji||English • いにしへの 奈良の都の 八重桜 けふ九重に にほひぬるかな — Inishie no Nara no miyako no Yaezakura Kyō kokonoe ni Nioinuru kana — The double cherry trees Of the ancient capital Nara Today must extend their fragrance To the imperial palace. Below is another of her poems, translated in the Asia-Pacific Journal: • Japanese||Rōmaji||English • おき明かし 見つつ眺むる 萩の上の 露ふき乱る 秋の夜の風 — Oki akashi Mitsutsu nagamuru Hagi no ue no Tsuyu fuki midaru Aki no yo no kaze — Peering hour after sleepless hour: into the dark, my vacant gaze fixes: on the dew scattered: atop the bush clover: by the autumn night’s wind