Sent to a lady with whom he had simply been exchanging letters for some years.

水鳥のはかなきあとに年をへてかよふばかりのえにこそ有りけれ

midutori no hakanaki ato ni tosi wo Fete kayoFu bakari no e ni koso arikere

Waterbirds leave But transient traces as The years go by— This simple back-and-forth is All we truly have!

Anonymous