Watching the dawn moon // I knew myself completely // No single part left out

( inspired by Izumi Shikibu, "The Ink Dark Moon" )

Izumi Shikibu (c. 976–1034) is considered one of the greatest women poets of the Heian period, renowned for her deeply personal, passionate, and expressive poetry. She was a contemporary of Murasaki Shikibu (author of The Tale of Genji) and was known for her complex romantic life, including affairs with imperial princes, which became the subject of both her poetry and court gossip.

The poem is written in the tanka form, unlike the more observational and detached haiku, is known for its emotional depth and direct expression of feeling, often exploring themes of love, longing, loss, and the transience of life.