I've been occasionally flipping through a Penguin book of Japanese verse and found a pretty amazing poetic exchange. These are two tankas from before 1000 CE, written by sisters of the royal house. The tanka is a poetic form that has five units with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5-7-7, although usually when translated into English the syllable counts are less important.
The first poem was written when then-emperor Tenji was showing his favor to Princess Nukada. The second poem was written by Nukada's sister Kagami responding to losing Tenji's affections.
Tanka
Princess Nukada
I waited and I
yearned for you.
My blind
stirred at the touch
Of the autumn breeze.
Tanka
Princess Kagami
In reply to a poem by her younger sister, Princess Nukada.
The wind blew: for you
it blew, a hateful wind.
I waited for this wind
to stir, to stir for me.
And now, my heart bleeds.
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