Minamoto no Shigeyuki (源重之)

MINAMOTO no Shigeyuki (? - around 1000?) was a poet of the mid-Heian period
His father was MINAMOTO no Kanenobu, who was ranked as Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and was the great-grandson of the Emperor Seiwa. He was adopted by his uncle MINAMOTO no Kanetada. He is regarded as one of the medieval 36 Immortal Poets.

He served as Tachiwaki Senjo (the head of the Imperial Prince's bodyguard) while the Emperor Reizei was still the Crown Prince, and then became Sayu no shogen (Lieutenant of the Right and the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) when the prince ascended to the throne.

However, he was not favored with promotions after that, although he served in less important local posts such as governor of Hyuga Province, starting with provisional governor of Sagami Province in 976. He was said to have gone to Mutsu Province following the governor of Mutsu Province, FUJIWARA no Sanekata, and to have died there. He died in his sixties.

His poetry was selected for 'Shui Wakashu' (Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poems) and other Chokusen wakashu (anthologies of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command) afterwards. The Hundred-Poem sequences by Shigeyuki' in his personal collection 'Shigeyuki Shu' are the oldest of among hundred-Poem sequences. He left behind many poems of travel and poems of lamentation for his misfortunes.

Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (the Ogura Anthology of One Hundred Tanka-poems by One Hundred Poets)
No. 48: Just as waves striking against crags because of roaring winds are broken, only my heart shatters and I'm still thinking of you. ('Shika wakashu' (Waka Collection of Verbal Flowers), Love I, 210)

[Original Japanese]