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Natsu no yo wa / mada yoi nagara / akenuru wo / kumo no izuko ni / tsuki yadoruran (By Kiyohara no Fukayabu)

[Modern Translation] The summer night is so short; just as I thought it was still early evening, dawn has already broken. With the night ending so quickly, I wonder where in the clouds the lingering moon has found a place to hide and sleep?

I would like to share a uniquely Japanese element found in this poem. The phrase where the moon "finds a place to sleep (hide)" treats the moon as if it has its own personality. I believe this expression deeply reflects Japanese animism. Personally, I feel that this method of expression and ideological value shares some beautiful similarities with Greek mythology.

The romantic figure who composed this rich poem is Kiyohara no Fukayabu. Interestingly, he is the great-grandfather of the famous Sei Shonagon (author of The Pillow Book). In the history of Japanese classical literature, Sei Shonagon is widely known among Japanese people for her immense talent and unique character, and he was her great-grandfather! The Kiyohara family was a prestigious lineage that produced many great poets and scholars for generations.

It is a poem that perfectly fits this season when the daylight hours grow longer and the nights become shorter. Nowadays in Japan, being active outdoors during the afternoon is almost in the danger zone, with a significantly high risk of heatstroke. Even after the sun goes down, the nights remain extremely hot, making it quite difficult to simply "enjoy" the summer season.

However, by keeping a bit of room in our hearts to appreciate the season through beautiful poems like this, let's get through this intense heat together!