Wistful Autumn Nights

The text for Wistful Autumn Nights draws from Clay MacCauley’s English translation of Ogura Hyakunin-Isshu. These 100 Japanese poems, written by 100 different poets living as early as the 7th century, were compiled in 1235 by Fujiwara no Teika. The subjects of these tanka, consisting of a 5-7-5-7-7 syllabic structure, explore ordinary emotions, love, and an admiration for nature. This song cycle includes five poems concerning wistfulness in autumn. The sentiments expressed are subtle: the sadness is never maudlin and happiness not ecstatic. Instead, they capture with beautiful succinctness a fleeting scene—a snapshot of human experience.