Page:Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan.djvu/225

Of Old Japan

She was thinking that he had quite forgotten—
Who can it be that is coming across the barrier?

You ask when I shall go back—it is as yet uncertain.

On the Mount

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Nagara while being

My yearning is towards the

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Biwa lake open water

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Uchi de no Hama The beach of going out

Does not lie towards

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Miyako the royal city.

The Prince read her poems and said to the page: "I am sorry to trouble you, but please go once more."

His poem:

I sought for you in the

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Osaka Yama mount of meeting

But though never forgetting you
My way was lost in the trackless valley.

His second poem:

Being overwhelmed with sorrow
I wished to remain in retirement

But

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Omi no umi the lake of meeting

Is beyond

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Uchi de no Hama the beach of going out.

She wrote back only poems:

Tears which could not be restrained at the barrier

Flow towards the

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Omi no umi— lake of meeting

And on the margin she wrote:

Let me try you—
My own heart also,
Come and tempt me towards the royal city.

suggestive idea. Omi is the name of the province in which are Ishiyama and Lake Biwa. Here the word is used as the homophon of meeting. Mount Nagara is near the Ishiyama Temple. Nagara is the homophon of "while being (on the mountain)."