Hyakunin Isshu: Meet the Poets
Kii of Princess Yūshi's Household

Meaning

I have heard how fickle the waves at Takashi Beach are. I will not let them wet my sleeves — I will keep my heart guarded.

Commentary

"Takashi no hama" (Takashi Beach in Izumi Province) was poetically famous for its rough, capricious waves. "Ada-nami" (fickle waves) is a metaphor for a man whose love cannot be trusted. The speaker refuses to engage, fearing her sleeves — a conventional image for tears — will be wetted by grief.

Kii was a court lady in service to Princess Yūshi. This poem is said to have been her response to a forward young man who pressed his attentions on her during a poetry gathering. The deft use of a famous coastal place to deflect an advance is characteristic of the refined, allusive wit of Heian court ladies.

Learn More