Hyakunin Isshu: Meet the Poets
Master of the Left Capital Michimasa

Meaning

If only I could say it directly: all I want is to end this love. But there is no way to tell you in person.

Commentary

The poem expresses the frustration of being unable to speak directly to the woman he loves. He asks not for a meeting or renewed hope — only to be able to say in person that he is giving up. The wish for direct communication highlights how constrained Heian love was by protocol and intermediaries.

Fujiwara no Michimasa lived a troubled and declining life. Known as "the wicked third-rank official," he was romantically entangled with the imperial Princess Tōshi, but the relationship was forbidden and ultimately ended in failure. He spent his later years in poverty and relative isolation.

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