These Things Called Dreams: The Poems of Ono no Komachi

Ono no Komachi is generally recognized as Japan’s greatest love poet before modern times. For most of history, however, she was better known for her legendary beauty and supposed numerous affairs. The texts behind her reputation reveal her to have been superb poetic technician and author of some of the most passionate works of classical Japanese.

This new translation of all reliably attributed poems is lavishly illustrated with portraits spanning seven centuries, depicting Komachi and the legends that grew up around her. Japanese text and commentary is included for every poem.