Once when Izumi Shikbu was on her way to Ishiyama, she stopped in Ōtsu; late at night she sensed a crowd of people nearby making an enormous amount of noise. On enquiring what was going on, she was told, ‘Some people from the lower orders are polishing rice,’ and composed this poem.
鷺のゐる松原いかに騷ぐ覽しらげはうたて里とよみけり
sagi no wiru matubara ikani sawaguran sirage Fa utate sato toyomikeri
Egrets dwell Among the pine groves; how Noisy they seem; Their white plumes unpleasantly Echo through the house, it seems.
Lord Minamoto no Yorikiyo, having completed his tour of duty in Michinoku province, was made Governor of Higo and left [the capital] again; when he was due to depart, she sent this to him secretly.
A poem composed for the four seasons screen behind the guest of honour when the Principal Handmaid celebrated the fortieth birthday of the Fujiwara Major Captain of the Right (Autumn):
住の江の松を秋風吹くからにこゑうちそふるおきつ白浪
suminoe no
matu wo aki kaze
Fuku kara ni
kowe utisoFuru
oki tu siranami
At Suminoe
The pines by autumn winds
Are blown, so
Their voices add to
The whitecaps, off the shore.
