Emperor Akihito expressed compassion for various creatures coexisting on the premises of his residence, where he has been living for about 15 years, in his poem recited Thursday at the annual New Year Poetry Reading Ceremony at the Imperial Palace.
Written in the "waka" style — typically using 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 line pattern — the poems at this year's ceremony centered on the theme of "life."
The Emperor, Empress Michiko, other members of the Imperial family and 10 people from the public whose poems were chosen attended the ceremony.
The poem by the Emperor is translated by the Imperial Household Agency as follows: Observing creatures How their lives are closely linked And interwoven For fifteen years we have lived Here in the Imperial Palace.
Empress Michiko in her poem described the tender feelings she felt when she saw a column of midges swarming and dancing in the soft sunlight of early spring. Midges are short-lived creatures that end their life in a day or two once they emerge from their chrysalis and lay eggs.
The Empress' poem is translated as follows: How sad and dear The creatures living their lives — In early spring light The midges dance, forming An ephemeral column.
Crown Prince Naruhito recalled his amazement in his poem at the sight of a tiny plant with a lovely flower taking strong root in desert sands during his visit to Saudi Arabia with Crown Princess Masako in November 1994.
In her poem, the Crown Princess expressed her joy and deep emotion when she saw Princess Aiko, the only child of the couple, in a new school uniform with a red necktie when she entered Gakushuin Primary School last spring.
The Crown Princess, who is undergoing treatment for adjustment disorder, did not attend Thursday's ceremony.
The general public submitted some 21,180 poems.