Ōtagaki Rengetsu 大田垣蓮月 (1791-1875)

Ōtagaki Rengetsu is the most famous Japanese poet of the 19th century, also known for her excellent skills in calligraphy and pottery. Rengetsu wrote many tanzaku poems, which were later mounted as hanging scrolls by admirers and collectors. Here we have such a poem in Rengetsu's distinctive handwriting:

月前時鳥

ほととぎす

今一聲と

まちしまに

しらみはてたる

有明の月

"Little Cuckoo in Front of the Moon"

A little cuckoo

While awaiting

One more chirp

It has faded out completely—

The morning moon.

In this poem, the imagery of the little cuckoo and the morning moon plays a central role. The cuckoo, often associated with the arrival of spring in Japanese poetry, symbolizes renewal and change with its distinctive call. The anticipation of hearing one last chirp from the cuckoo before it fades away underscores the fleeting nature of such moments. Similarly, the morning moon, a faint presence in the early hours of the day, symbolizes the transient phase between night and day, soon to vanish with the rising sun.

Rengetsu masterfully uses these images to convey themes of transience and impermanence. Both the cuckoo's song and the morning moon are ephemeral, reminding us that experiences and moments of beauty are often short-lived. This theme resonates with the Buddhist concept of impermanence, reflecting Rengetsu's own spiritual background as a Buddhist nun.

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