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The Kokin is one of a number of anthologies of Japanese court poetry.  It is an historic work, reflecting the role of poetry in ancient court society.  The work was completed in order to preserve examples of highly regarded poems and to showcase new work.  Poets selected for inclusion were assured of subsequent prestige.  In his preface, Tsurayuki named six 'Poetic Geniuses' and those named, along with some others, achieved substantial recognition.  The court poets included Lady Ise, Ono no Komachi, Ariwara no Narihira, Ki no Tomonori, Ki no Tsurayuki, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro and Yamabe no Akahito.  At this time, poetry was used as a form of communication and way of making a good impression.  Tanka were written for lovers, and the replies were received in the form of tanka.  Consequently, popular poets could make a living by selling poems.  Poems were frequently commissioned and bought by noblemen and lovers.  There was a substantial amount of ghost writing and therefore the "owners" of tanka were not necessarily the authors.
  
    The time between the publication of the Manyo (the earlier anthology containing 7th and 8th century works) and the Kokin is often referred to as the early classical period.  Consequently, the Kokin is a source book of works from the early classical period.  When the capital was transferred to Kyoto, the Imperial City, which can be regarded as an inner city in Kyoto, had supreme power.  At that time, Kyoto was called Heian Kyo.  Life in the Imperial City was sheltered, and to write poetry was one way to continue and support the traditions of court society.  Consequently, to travel away from the Imperial City was seen as a sad experience.  This sadness at having to travel is expressed in many tanka, and the Kokin has one volume devoted to travel tanka. 

   As with Manyo poems, Kokin poems were collected in volumes.  There was and still is debate about what constitutes a single poem, as some works had preliminary sections.  Consequently, the works were numbered for ease of reference.  This substantial undertaking, by the Kokkha Taikan, resulted in 20 volumes.  These volumes have been reprinted over the years and new editions have become available.  As the poems were given identification numbers in Kokkha Taikan editions, translators usually refer to these sources as well as to the earlier manuscripts. 
  
   Subsequent court anthologies followed the format of the Kokin, and tanka remained the dominant Japanese poetry form until haiku became popular centuries later.  The Kokin contains many seasonal poems and these were particularly influential in the emergence of haiku.  Tanka is still a popular poetry form in Japan today, and now excellent tanka poets are beginning to emerge all around the world.

SOME KOKIN POEMS
(Versions by Doreen King
based on Kokka Taikan editions)

 
169 FUJIWARA NO TOSHIYUKI
nothing indicates
the arrival of autumn;
yet the sound
the wind makes
torments me already

229 ONO NO YOSHIKI
valerian is plentiful
on this side of the moor
so it would be pointless
for us to have a love night
and gain a reputation

316 ANON
the light
of the moon in the sky
is so cold
that surface waters catching the beams
become first ice

387 LADY EGUCHI
if death
was subject
to our will
parting could not hold
such sadness
409 HITOMARO
thinking about that boat
bound for the island
engulfed by morning mist
off the shore of Akashi;
I have been blind!

411 NARIHIRA
if you are truly
a bird from the capital
(your namesake)
come tell me the one I love
lives well

481 MITSUNE
since hearing
even very faintly
the voice
of the first wild goose
all I can think of is love

493 ANON
they say some stillness
can be found
even in the middle of the whirlpool
so where is this stability
in the whirlpool of love?

504 ANON
how can he know
my love for him?
this fine hemp pillow
alone knows
and can ever know

517 ANON
if I could
in exchange for my life
become your lover
how easy
death would be

525 ANON
because
I keep on hoping to meet you
in my dreams
all night long
I am unable to sleep!

542 ANON
once spring has began
ice melts and leaves
no trace at all:
in this way may your heart
melt towards me

548 ANON
the autumn field
illuminated by a flash of lightning
and appearing so peaceful ¾
even for such an instant
could I forget you?

560 ONO NO YOSHIKI
like a flower
high on the mountain
my love is hidden:
it flourishes
yet no one knows

591 MUNE-OKA NO 0-YORI
our love
is like the winter river:
there is ice on the surface
yet underneath
it flows

601 TADAMINE
when the wind blows
white clouds part
over the mountaintop
so, my lord, is your heart
totally unstable?

611 OCHIKOCHI MITSUNE
my love
has no goal
and goes nowhere
it being limited
to love only

624 MINAMOTO NO MUNEYUKI
if we do not unite
before dawn
I shall think
that for a man the spring day
is depressingly long