Waka Poems by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess

Theme for the New Year's Poetry Reading (1992) : WIND

His Majesty the Emperor
As I Watch the tight buds
of white birches
Swaying in the breeze
My thoughts turn
To the coming year

One day toward the end of last year, His Majesty the Emperor wrote this poem while looking out on white birches in the garden from the window of his study at the Akasaka Palace

Her Majesty the Empress
The wild silkworm
Shaded by leaves
Is wrapped in sleep
As the wind blows
Through the branches of the oak

At the Imperial cocoonery, ordinary silk worms are raised indoors, while wild silk worms are bred outdoors. This poem was composed by Her Majesty the Empress when one day in May. She watched the wild silk worms asleep on the small oak trees in their special enclosure.

His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince
While calling to mind
The history of times past
To this isle I come,
The pine branches are waving
In the Seto sea breezes

Everytime the Crown Prince visits the Seto Inland Sea, beautful pine trees there welcome him waving their branches, together with gentle sea breezes. He visited the Seto several times for his study on the medieval history and other occasions.