The poets and styles of poetry are diverse: Izumi Shikibu wrote love poems in which she expressed her passion; Akazome Emon composed delicate zotoka (poetry exchanged between a man and a woman); poems appealing to travelers' sentiments were composed by priest poets such as Noin and Ryozen; and SONE no Yoshitada made bold and unconventional poems.
和泉式部の激情がほとばしる恋歌から、赤染衛門の細やかな思い遣りの贈答歌、能因・良暹ら僧侶歌人の旅情豊かな歌、曾禰好忠の大胆な型破りの歌まで、その作者・作風ともに多様である。