Written on Water

This collection of classical poetry was selected from the Man'yoshu—the oldest and most important collection of Japanese poetry.

Despair and hope are two emotions commonly voiced by poets in the Man'yoshu. Although written over thirteen hundred years ago, the poems retain a rare freshness, an originality that delights and fascinates even today.

Part of the collection's originality is due to its variety of authors, from members of the aristocracy to commoners from the lowest ranks. The poems c...