alphabetic poetics

something cool I found: The old Japanese syllabary was arranged to form a kinda of poem.

now it goes か　き　く　け　こ、　さ　し　す　せ　そ　(ka, ki, ku, ke, ko, sa, shi, su, se, so); arranged by the sound.

The old one goes:

いろはにほへと　(i, ro, ha, ni, ho, he, to) Even the blooming flowers
ちりぬるを　　　(chi, ri, nu, ru, wo) Will eventually fade
わかよたれそ　　(wa, ka, yo, ta, re, so) Even our world
つねならむ　　　(tsu, ne, na, ra, mu) Is not eternal
うゐのおくやま　(u, wi, no, o, ku, ya, ma) Deep in the mountains
けふこえて　　　(ke, fu, ko, e, te) Cross them today
あさきゆめみし　(a, sa, ki, yu, me, mi, shi) And superficial dreams
ゑひもせす　　　(e, hi, mo, se, su) Shall no longer delude you.