A poem by Japanese poet Ariwara no Shigeharu. As Shigeharu was travelling to Kai province to visit a friend, he fell ill very suddenly. Thinking that he might soon die, Shigeharu composed this, requesting a messenger take it to his mother, in Edo.

Karisome no
Yukikaji to zo
Omoi koshi
Ima wa kagiri no
Kadode narikeri

I came thinking this
Would be a simple journey
Along the road to
Kai and back but now I
Have crossed the final threshold.