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Izumi Shikibu

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Izumi Shikibu, depicted in a c. 1765 Kusazōshi by Komatsuken, served as a poet at the court of Empress Shoshi.

Izumi Shikibu (Japanese: 和泉式部, born 976?) was a poet during the mid-Heian period in Japan. She was a member of the Thirty-six Medieval Poetry Immortals (中古三十六歌仙, chūko sanjurokkasen). Her contemporaries included Murasaki Shikibu and Akazome Emon at the court of Empress Joto Mon'in.

She is often considered to have been the greatest woman poet of the Heian period. Her legacy comprises 242 poems and two poetry collections.

Torn between worldly ties and physical desire, Izumi Shikibu left a wealth of passionate love poetry. Rumors abounded that she was a femme fatale, reputed to have numerous lovers in addition to her two husbands and two princely consorts.

Izumi Shikibu, shown here in a c. 1765 Kusazōshi by Komatsuken, was a poet at Empress Shoshi's court.

Early Life

Izumi Shikibu was the daughter of Oe no Masamune, governor of Echizen, and her mother was a daughter of Taira no Yasuhira, governor of Etchu. In 995, at the age of 20, Izumi married Tachibana no Michisada, governor of Izumi, from whom her name is derived. Their daughter, Koshikibu no Naishi, was born in 997 and later became a poet herself. After a brief marriage, Izumi divorced, and her former husband died shortly thereafter.

As was customary for Heian period women, her name combines "Izumi," from her husband’s provincial assignment, and "Shikibu," reflecting her father's role as a master of ceremonies.

Affairs and Marriages

Izumi had several affairs at the imperial court in Kyoto. Initially, before marrying Michisada, she is believed to have been a companion (and by some accounts, wife) to a man named Omotomaru at dowager Queen Shoko's court.

While still married to Michisada, she fell passionately in love with Emperor Reizei's third son, Prince Tametaka (Danjo no Miya Tametaka Shinnō: 弾正宮為尊親王 977-1002). The scandal led to her divorce and estrangement from her family. The Eiga Monogatari suggests that Tametaka's death was due to his "continual nocturnal escapades."

Following Tametaka's death, she was courted by his brother, Prince Atsumichi

(敦道親王, Atsumichi Shinnō, 981–1007).

Their affair began in the first year of their.

relationship, as described in her semi-autobiographical Diary, which was written to soothe her mind and document the poetry exchanged between them. She moved into Atsumichi's residence, and their very public courtship lasted until his death in 1007 at age 27.

Soon after, around 1009, Izumi joined the court of Fujiwara no Shōshi, the daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga and consort of Emperor Ichijō.

Diary

Izumi Shikibu Nikki, written at the beginning of her relationship with Prince Atsumichi, spans approximately nine months (1003-1004). The diary, narrated in the third person, contains over one hundred poems, featuring both waka and renga. The narrative depicts a fluctuating relationship marked by the Prince's alternating ardor and indifference and Izumi's timidity and yearning.

Her significant works are included in the Izumi Shikibu Collection (和泉式部集, Izumi Shikibu-shū) and the imperial anthologies. Her passionate life earned her the nickname "The Floating Lady" (浮かれ女, ukareme) from Michinaga. Akazome Emon, Murasaki Shikibu, and Ise no Tayu were her contemporaries at the court.

Later Years

In 1009, she married Fujiwara no Yasumasa (958-1036), a military commander renowned for his bravery under Michinaga, and left the court to accompany him to his assignment in Tango Province. She outlived her daughter Koshikibu no Naishi, but her exact year of death remains unknown. The last Imperial correspondence from her was a poem written in 1027. The Eiga Monogatari includes this poem, which accompanied Yasumasa's offering of jewels for a Buddha figure "made in memory of Empress Dowager Yoshiko."

She later embraced Buddhism, wearing Buddhist robes for the rest of her life. Her Dharma name was Seishin Insei Hōni (誠心院専意法尼).

Legacy

In contemporary arts, the Opéra National de Paris and the Grand Théâtre de Genève commissioned an opera based on her poems. Titled Da gelo a gelo by Salvatore Sciarrino and sung in Italian, the work, which draws on 65 poems from Izumi Shikibu Nikki, premiered in early 2008 in Geneva with the Chamber Orchestra of Geneva.

Poetry

Izumi Shikibu's poems often delve deeply into themes of love, yearning, and lamentation. Below are several examples of her evocative works:

1.Reflecting on restlessness:

刈藻かき臥猪の床のゐを

安みさこそねざらめ斯らずもがな

Trampling the seaweed, the wild boar makes his bed and sleeps. Yet, even unburdened by feelings, I could not sleep so soundly.

(Goshūi Wakashū 14:821)

2.Describing a tender moment:

黒髪のみだれも知らず打臥せば
　　　まづかきやりし人ぞ戀しき

With my black hair unkempt, he lies down carefree and first tenderly strokes it — my beloved!

(Goshūi Wakashū 13:755)

3.Contemplating the ephemeral nature of tranquility:

長閑なる折こそなけれ花を思ふ心の
　　　うちに風はふかねど

There is scarcely a moment of peace; even as I cherish the blossoms, the wind stirs within my heart.

※ Please confirm the appropriate source or anthology for this poem, as the reference is unclear.

4.On the enduring sorrow of loss:

亡人のくる夜ときけど君もなし
　　　我が住む宿や魂無きの里

onight they say the spirits of the departed return, yet you are not here. Does my home truly remain a place devoid of soul?

(Goshūi Wakashū 10:575)

5.Upon seeing her deceased daughter Koshikibu no Naishi's name on her Imperial robes:

諸共に苔のしたには朽ちずして
　　　埋もれぬ名をみるぞ悲しき

Beneath the moss, her name remains undecayed and celebrated. Seeing it fills me with profound sadness.

(Kin'yō Wakashū 10:620)

These translations strive to capture both the literal meaning and the emotional undertone of Izumi Shikibu's poetry, reflecting her depth of feeling and poetic mastery.