Death & Dying

The Grave of the Maiden of Unáhi

by Classical Japanese Poets 7th–10th centuries

Translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain (1900) · From Ballads

Death & Dying

I stand by the grave where they buried
The Maiden of Unáhi,
Whom of old the rival champions
Did woo so jealously.

The grave should hand down through ages
Her story for evermore,
That men yet unborn might love her,
And think on the days of yore.

And so beside the causeway
They piled up the bowlders high;
Nor e'er till the clouds that o'ershadow us
Shall vanish from the sky,

May the pilgrim along the causeway
Forget to turn aside,
And mourn o'er the grave of the Maiden;
And the village folk, beside,

Ne'er cease from their bitter weeping,
But cluster around her tomb;
And the ages repeat her story,
And bewail the Maiden's doom.

Till at last e'en I stand gazing
On the grave where she now lies low,
And muse with unspeakable sadness
On the old days long ago.

✦ ✦ ✦

By Sakimaro.

MLA

Classical Japanese Poets. “The Grave of the Maiden of Unáhi.” Translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/classical-japanese-poets/3/.

Chicago

Classical Japanese Poets. “The Grave of the Maiden of Unáhi.” Translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/classical-japanese-poets/3/.

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