春の夜の

夢ばかりなる

手枕に

かひなく立たむ

名こそ惜しけれ

すおうのないし

はるのよの

ゆめばかりなる

たまくらに

かいなくたたん

なこそおしけれ

Lady Suo

Though almost a dream

On this spring evening

Having your arm as my pillow,

Please do not bother

I can’t accept your offer.

Hokusai

Suo no Naishi (? - 1110) was the daughter of Taira no Munenaka, governor of Suo province (other sources call him Taira no Tsugunaka). Her real name was Nakako, other sources have it as Taira no Chushi. She was lady-in-waiting (naishi) to the emperors GoReizei, Shirakawa and Horikawa. After an illness she became a nun. Thirty-five poems of her are known.

Lady Suo with a nun

The headnote to this poem says that it was composed on a moonlit night when Fujiwara no Tadaie (1033-1091), overhearing the poet whisper to a lady nearby that she would like to have a pillow, playfully offered his arm.

Some see a pun in kaina (arm) and kai naku (pointless). Hokusai gives a literal rendering of the situation.