Smi 89 



Matsu no ki ni 

 Shimikomu gotoshi 

 Se'mi no kog. 



Into the wood of the pine-tree 



Seems to soak 



The voice of the semi. 



A very large number of Japanese poems about 

 se'mi describe the noise of the creatures as an 

 affliction. To fully sympathize with the com 

 plaints of the poets, one must have heard certain 

 varieties of Japanese cicadas in full midsummer 

 chorus ; but even by readers without experience 

 of the clamor, the following verses will probably 

 be found suggestive : 



War<< hitori 

 Atsui yo nari, 

 Se'mi no kog I 



BUNSO. 



Meseems that only I, I alone among mortals, 

 Ever suffered such heat ! oh, the noise of the se'mi I 



Ushiro kara 

 Tsukamu yo nari, 

 Se'mi no kog. 



JOFO. 



Oh, the noise of the se'mi I a pain of invisible seizure, 

 Clutched in an enemy's grasp, caught by the hair from 

 behind I 



