Expressions of passion and heartbreak, written by the court lady Murasaki Shikibu a thousand years ago, transcend time and culture in this new translation of poetry from the first 33 chapters of The Talek of Genji. Over 400 tanka poems describe the intricate loveplay and wordplay between men andwomen of noble breeding, consumed by sexual desire and aesthetic longing. Plot synopses and annotations are designed for classroom adoption. Jane Reichhold, one of America's leading tanka poets, has translated Fumi Saito and Akiko Baba.