From among her love poems.
かくやはとおぼえしきはもおぼえけりすべて人にはなれでぞあらまし
kaku ya wa to oboeshi kiwa mo oboekeri subete hito ni wa narade zo aramashi | Can I endure more? I wondered at my limits: That’s how I felt; If only all of it—including him— Had never been: that’s what I wish now! |
The Daughter of Noriyoshi, Junior First Rank
従一位教良女
A love poem, from when he presented a hundred poem sequence.
しられじなおさふる袖のなみだ川したにははやき水のこころを
shirareji na osauru sode no namidagawa shita ni wa hayaki mizu no kokoro o | No one knows, it seems— As I wipe away with my sleeves A river of tears Beneath it, swift, are The waters of my heart. |
The Regent and Minister of the Right
From among his love poems.
ちぎりありてかかる思ひやつくばねのみねども人のやがて恋しき
chigiri arite kakaru omoi ya tsukubane no minedomo hito no yagate koishiki | Do we have a bond, that Arouses such passions? Though As the peak of Tsukuba I see her not, yet am Filled with constant longing. |
Supernumerary Major Counsellor Kin’kage
On the conception of love.
けふはもし人もやわれを思ひいづる我もつねより人のこひしき
kyō wa moshi hito mo ya ware o omoi’izuru ware mo tsune yori hito no koishiki | Is it that today He has of me With passion thought, that I, too, far more than normal Yearn for him? |
Eifukumon’in
On waiting for love, night after night.
われも人もあはれつれなきよなよなよたのめもやまず待ちもよわらず
ware mo hito mo aware tsurenaki yonayona yo tanome mo yamazu machi mo yowarazu | Me and him— How moving is our hard-heartedness Night after night! Endlessly he makes me believe him, Never weakening in waiting for him! |
Eifukumon’in
On lightning.
いなづまのしばしもとめぬひかりにも草葉のつゆのかずはみえけり
inazuma no shibashi mo tomenu hikari ni mo kusaba no tsuyu no kazu wa miekeri | The lightning Fails to linger for even a moment, yet In its flash of light Upon every blade of grass Appear numerous dewdrops. |
Lord Fujiwara no Tamehide
Topic unknown.
跡もなきしづが家ゐの竹のかきいぬのこゑのみおくふかくして
ato mo naki shizu ga iei no take no kaki inu no koe nomi oku fukakushite | Not a trace remains Of the peasants’ huts’ Bamboo fences, Simply a dog barking From deep within. |
His Former Majesty [Hanazono]
From among his miscellaneous poems.
くれぬるかまがきの竹のむらすずめねぐらあらそふ声さわぐなり
kurenuru ka magaki no take no murasuzume negura arasou koe sawagunari | Is it dusk? Along the bamboo of my lattice fence A flock of sparrows Quarrelling over roosts Is chirping noisily, indeed! |
The Jōmyōji Minister of the Left
浄妙寺左大臣
Topic unknown.
おもだかや下葉にまじるかきつばた花ふみわけてあさるしらさぎ
omodaka ya shitaba ni majiru kakitsubata hana fumiwakete asaru shirasagi | Amid the water plantains’ Under leaves are scattered Irises; Treading through the flowers Comes a hunting snow-white heron. |
Former Middle Counsellor Sada’ie
前中納言定家
Topic unknown.
はれそむるみねのあさぎりひまみえて山の端わたるかりの一つら
haresomuru mine no asagiri hima miete yama no ha wataru kari no hitotsura | Beginning to clear Are the morning mists from round the peak And through the gaps appear Crossing the mountains’ edge A single line of geese. |
Fujiwara no Yorikiyo
'Simply moving and elegant'