By His Majesty, Retired Emperor Suzaku (923-952; r. 930-946), on seeing that Senior Grand Empress [Shoshi (950-1000)] was still an infant:
呉竹の我が世は異に成ぬとも音は絶えせずも泣かるべき哉
| kuretake no wa ga yo Fa koto ni narinu to mo ne Fa taezu mo nakarubeki kana |
As bamboo from Cathay, I shall slip the knot; But though I be gone, Eternally sobs I shall weep for you, I feel. |
Emperor Suzaku