lareinadehades's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

4.5

from_paradise's review against another edition

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4.0

Beautiful and utterly captivating. The love and yearning in every word in every poem is so visceral, it felt like my heart was laid out upon the table to be feasted on. I couldn't look away.

jennyoo's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring relaxing

4.5

sanjubee's review against another edition

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4.0

Even if I
repeated love’s name
forever,
could outward life match
the intensity of our hearts?


Every poem is so simple yet beautiful, and the section about translation at the book's end was very well-written! Definitely earned its place as one of my go-to books of short poetry.

daniemanos's review against another edition

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5.0

I picked up this collection of poems because I lived next to Komachi's hometown. This era of writing is one of the few in human history that was dominated by women and my inner feminist delights in sharing such an intimate experience with these courtly women. Women have always been sexual and poetic and literary and these poems, though short, really pack a punch. The translators do an excellent job finding the English words that best serve these poems. I greatly enjoyed these poems and, years later, return to some frequently.

saniiaaaaa's review against another edition

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5.0

This was unreal. Full of beautiful works, and incredibly relatable and timeless— I can’t believe these poems are from the 9th and 10th century. I had chills, I laughed, I teared up, I felt relief, I felt inspired.

reallym's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

briaraq's review against another edition

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5.0

I'm 100% writing music based off these poems. I have to.

rhaegals's review against another edition

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4.0

Which is better,
to love
one who has died
or not to see
each other when you’re alive?

teaviant13's review against another edition

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4.0


I really am at quite a loss on how to review or respond to an anthology of poetry. I have promised myself I will leave more of a trail of my reading life so here goes nothing. First of all, how can you turn down a book with the title of Ink Dark Moon? Girl, I can't!

All of the poems are quite short and it made for some enjoyable before bed reading. There are some really incredible poems and some really incredible lines in this little tome. Mainly about secret love and yearnings.