A poem sent by the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa to Ōtomo no sukune, Tanushi (Tanushi was the second son of Lord Ōtomo, the Saho Major Councillor. His mother was Lady Kose).

風流士と我れは聞けるをやど貸さず我れを帰せりおその風流士

Ōtomo no Tanushi was also known as Chūrō. He was miraculously good-looking and incomparable in his elegance, so much so that anyone who saw or heard him was deeply moved. There was a woman called the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa. Wanting to become his bride, she grieved over how she always lived alone. She entrusted all her feelings to a letter, but was unable to locate an appropriate messenger. So, she came up with a scheme and, disguising herself as a poor old woman and carrying an earthen pot, went to where Tanushi was sleeping. She put on a hoarse voice and, tottering as she walked, knocked on his door, and said, ‘I am your elderly neighbour to the east. I have come to ask if you would let me have some fire.’ Chūrō, not realising in the darkness that she was in disguise, had no thought that he should let her in and have anything else to do with her, gave her fire as she had asked and sent her on her way home. The following day, the Elder Maiden, embarrassed to ask Tanushi to marry her without a go-between, and upset that her plan had not worked, wrote this poem and sent it to him – or so it is said.