Poems by border guards from various provinces sent as relief to Tsukushi in the 7th year of Tempyō-Shōhō [755], Second Month.
畏きや命被り明日ゆりや草がむた寢む妹なしにして
kasikoki ya
mikötö kagapuri
asu yuri ya
kae ga muta nemu
imu nasi ni site |
A fearsome
Order I received
And from the morrow
Will I sleep among the grasses
Without my darling girl? |
The above poem is by Mononobe no Akimochi of Lower Naga District, a man of serviceable age in the service of the District Governor.
比多潟の礒のわかめの立ち亂え我をか待つなも昨夜も今夜も
pitagata nö
iso nö wakame nö
tati midae
wa wo ka matu namo
kiso mo köyöpi mo |
In Hitagata
On the beach the seaweed
Starts up in confusion
Is that how she waits for me,
Tonight and the night before? |
人妻とあぜかそを言はむしからばか隣の衣を借りて着なはも
pitöduma tö
aze ka zö wo ipamu
sikaraba ka
tonari nö kinu wo
karate kina pa mo |
“She’s another’s wife,”
Why do they say such things-
Well, then:
Next door’s clothes
Can’t I borrow some and put them on? |
この川に朝菜洗ふ子汝れも我れもよちをぞ持てるいで子給りに
önö kapa ni
asana arapu ko
nare mo are mo
yoti wo zö moteru
ide ko tabari ni |
Here in the river
Washing the morning veg, girl,
You and me both
Have kids of an age,
Say, why not give yours to me! |
伊香保ろの沿ひの榛原我が衣に着きよらしもよひたへと思へば
ikaporo nö
sopi nö paripara
wa ga kinu ni
tukiyörasi mo yo
pitape tö omopeba |
On Ikahoro’s
Slope the field of alder
On my clothes
May leave a stain
For I have but a single layer, I feel. |
上つ毛野安蘇のま麻むらかき抱き寢れど飽かぬをあどか我がせむ
kamitukeno
aso nö maso mura
kakimudaki
nuredö akanu wo
adö ka a ga semu |
Kamitsukeno
In Aso: here stand stalks of hemp
Clasped tight within my arms
I sleep, yet am not satisfied
Whatever shall I do? |
筑波嶺の嶺ろに霞居過ぎかてに息づく君を率寢て遣らさね
tukupa ne nö
nero ni kasumi wi
sugikate ni
ikiduku kimi wo
wi nete yarasane |
The peak of Tsukuha
Stands wreathed with mist
Unable to proceed
That sighing lordling:
Grab him, sleep with him, then send him on his way! |
足柄のみ坂畏み曇り夜の我が下ばへをこち出つるかも
asigara nö
misaka kasikomi
kumori yo nö
a ga sitabape wo
kotideturu ka mo |
In Ashigara
On that dread hill
Beneath the clouds at night
To the secret thought within my heart
I did give voice. |
足柄のをてもこのもにさすわなのかなるましづみ子ろ我れ紐解く
asigara nö
wotemo könömo ni
sasu wana nö
kanaru ma sidumi
ko ro are pimo toku |
In Ashigara
On one side and the other
Snares are set
And secretly, amidst the noise,
The girl and I undo our belts. |
伎倍人のまだら衾に綿さはだ入りなましもの妹が小床に
kipe pitö nö
madarabusuma ni
wata sapada
irinamasi monö
imo ga wodoko ni |
The folk of Kihe
Their motley quilts
Fill with so much floss;
Oh, I wish I’d slipped within
My love’s coverlets. |
The above poem is [one of] two from the province of Tōtsu Ōmi.
'Simply moving and elegant'