A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the Reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.

色ふかくみる野辺だにも常ならば春は行くともかたみならまし

iro fukaku miru nobe dani mo tsune naraba haru wa yuku tomo katami naramashi

Deep the hues On display within the meadows—if that Should be the norm, then Even when the spring is gone A keepsake they would be.

Anonymous