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The Ink Dark Moon

By Izumi Shikibu and Ono no Komachi
Series: Vintage Classics Love Poems
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Ink Dark Moon is a collection of classical Japanese poetry from two prominent female poets, Izumi Shikibu and Ono no Komachi. The poems explore themes of love, passion, and longing, capturing the emotional intricacies of human relationships against the backdrop of nature. Their lyrical expression offers profound insights into the heart and mind, embodying the rich tradition of Japanese courtly life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This collection may appeal to you if you are captivated by traditional Japanese poetry and wish to explore the elegant and passionate expressions of love, longing, and nature from the Heian period. The lyrical work of two remarkable women poets offers profound insights into the cultural and emotional landscape of their time.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A captivating and unexpected collection of two female Japanese poets from the 9th and 10th centuries.

Here is a collection of sexy, brief, fleeting poems about love, lust, and longing. They originate from a time in Japanese history when aristocratic women of the Heian court were free to marry and conduct love affairs according to their desires. Education and refinement were so highly valued that the courtly manner of expressing oneself, whether to give condolences for a death, to send back a forgotten fan, or to heighten the anticipation of a lover's visit, was with a poem of just five lines. A convention of secrecy surrounding love affairs fills these verses with palpable emotion.

These vivid and erotic poems express love in all its forms and do so with amazing economy of words, unforgettable imagery, and breath-taking modernity.

INTRODUCED BY NIKITA GILL

'They are full of dreams, of autumns, of lovers known or not yet met, of desire, wonderment, loneliness' - Irish Times

Translated by Jane Hirshfield with Mariko Aratani, this is an edition that brings the story of the poems to life with a detailed introduction and notes on the translation.

Series: Vintage Classics Love Poems

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  • The Ink Dark Moon
    A captivating and unexpected collection of two female Japanese poets from the 9th and 10th centuries. Here is a collection of sexy, brief, fleeting poems about love, lust, and longing. They originate from a time in Japanese history when aristocratic women of the Heian court were free to marry and conduct love affairs according to their desires. Education and refinement...
    By Izumi Shikibu and Ono no Komachi
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The collection offers a glimpse into Heian Period life, highlighting its hidden sexual intrigues through sensuous poetry. The poems resonate even now with their vivid portrayals of love, loss, and the transience of nature, reflecting on life's fundamental experiences.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784878245

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 January 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Jane Hirshfield
  • Translated by Mariko Aratani
  • Introduction by Nikita Gill
  • Translated by Jane Hirshfield
  • Translated by Mariko Aratani
  • Translated by Jane Hirshfield
  • Translated by Mariko Aratani

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 176.0mm

Weight: 182g

Pages: 240

Collections

Arts & Culture General Fiction Izumi Shikibu Love Poetry - for the Romantics Non-Fiction Ono no Komachi Penguin Books Poetry Series: Vintage Classics Love Poems

About the Author

Izumi Shikibu (Author) Izumi Shikibu, born c.974, was the daughter of a lord who came to the Heian court to serve a former empress. During her time there she had two prominent love affairs to men who both died, was embroiled in scandal, and was married and divorced. When she married her second husband she accompanied him to his post in the provinces and never returned to court life. She is thought to have died around the age of 60. Her reputation as a poet grew after her death and she is now regarded as one of the outstanding poets of Japanese literature. Ono no Komachi (Author) Ono no Komachi was a legendary figure from the time of her death. Little is known about her life but historians believe Komachi served the Heian court in the middle of the 9th century. She most likely had at least one child. The legend goes that she was not only the outstanding poet of her time but the most beautiful, though the story told in No plays is that she ended her days in poverty and obscurity. Nikita Gill (Introducer) Nikita Gill is a British-Indian writer and artist living in the south of England. With a huge online following, her words have captivated hearts and minds all over the world. Nikita is an ambassador for National Poetry Day and is a regular speaker at literary events. Instagram- @nikita_gill Tumblr- meanwhilepoetry.tumblr.com Facebook- @nikitagillwrites Twitter- @nktgill

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