A Quiet Trace
@serizawa-synodos.bsky.social
English translations of Princess Shikishi’s waka
—faithful to the original, readable as poetry on their own.
instagram.com/a_quiet_trace/
—faithful to the original, readable as poetry on their own.
instagram.com/a_quiet_trace/
The day I gazed upon
has already slipped into the past—yet let the plum by the eaves
hold still a trace
of the one who lingered here.
── Princess Shikishi
has already slipped into the past—yet let the plum by the eaves
hold still a trace
of the one who lingered here.
── Princess Shikishi
September 24, 2025 at 1:21 AM
The day I gazed upon
has already slipped into the past—yet let the plum by the eaves
hold still a trace
of the one who lingered here.
── Princess Shikishi
has already slipped into the past—yet let the plum by the eaves
hold still a trace
of the one who lingered here.
── Princess Shikishi
Deep in the mountains,
at a pine door untouched by spring,
crystal drops of snow
gather, then slowly fall—
lingering, vanishing.
── Princess Shikishi
at a pine door untouched by spring,
crystal drops of snow
gather, then slowly fall—
lingering, vanishing.
── Princess Shikishi
September 22, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Deep in the mountains,
at a pine door untouched by spring,
crystal drops of snow
gather, then slowly fall—
lingering, vanishing.
── Princess Shikishi
at a pine door untouched by spring,
crystal drops of snow
gather, then slowly fall—
lingering, vanishing.
── Princess Shikishi
Between plum branches
swelling with buds,
the evening moon—
as though spring’s tender light
were only now
beginning to appear.
── Princess Shikishi
swelling with buds,
the evening moon—
as though spring’s tender light
were only now
beginning to appear.
── Princess Shikishi
September 22, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Between plum branches
swelling with buds,
the evening moon—
as though spring’s tender light
were only now
beginning to appear.
── Princess Shikishi
swelling with buds,
the evening moon—
as though spring’s tender light
were only now
beginning to appear.
── Princess Shikishi