Composed on the conception of Tanabata.
あまの川きみわたりなばかささぎのはしうちみだるなみもたたなん
ama no kaFa
kimi watarinaba
kasasagi no
Fasi utimidaru
nami mo tatanan | The River of Heaven
Should you cross, my lord,
The magpies’
Bridge might be disturbed
By the rising waves. |
Dharma Master Sōen
Composed when various people were composing poems on ice at the Victory of Enlightenment Hall.
山がはもこほりにけりないまよりはとどろきおちしおとたゆるまで
yamagaFa mo
koForinikeri na
ima yori Fa
todoroki otisi
oto tayuru made | The mountain stream
Has turned to ice, and
From now
The echoes of its fall
Have ceased to make sound henceforth! |
Composed on returning geese.
きりふかみこしかりがねぞかへるなるかすみのうちにこゑばかりして
kiri Fukami
kosi kari ga ne zo
kaFeru naru
kasumi no uti ni
kowe bakari site | Deep within the mists
Passing, calling, the geese
Are returning;
Within the haze
Their cry is all… |
Dharma Master Shin’ei
Composed on the conception of love at the end of the Third Month.
春はをし人はこよひとたのむればおもひわづらふ今日のくれかな
Faru Fa wosi
Fito Fa koyoi to
tanomureba
omoFiwazuraFu
keFu no kure kana | Regretting the departure of spring, and
Tonight, my man
Expecting,
Wracked with painful thoughts
Does today reach its dusk! |
The Minister of the Centre
When he was in service at an imperial progress to Ōi.
おほゐがは井せきのおとのなかりせばこのはをしけるわたりとやみん
oFowigawa
wiseki no oto no
nakariseba
ko no Fa wo sikeru
watari wo ya min | Upon the River Ōi
If the weirs sounded
Not, then
At the leaves spread
All around would we even look? |
Master of the Palace Repairs Office Akisue
Composed on cuckoos.
ふるさとはこだかけれどもきみならぬほととぎすにもうとまれにけり
Furusato Fa
kodakeredomo
kimi naranu
Fototogisu ni mo
utomarenikeri | Around this ancient estate
The trees grow high, yet
Not by you alone,
By the cuckoo, to
Am I despised. |
Mibu no Tadamine
Composed on irises as part of a hundred poem sequence.
あづまぢのかほやがぬまのかきつばたはるをこめてもさきにけるかな
azumadi no
kaoya ga numa no
kakitubata
Faru wo komete mo
sakinikeru kana | On the Eastern Road, at
Kaoya Marsh,
Irises
Encompassing all of springtime
Have bloomed! |
Master of the Palace Repairs Office Akisue
修理大夫顕季
Composed on the conception of falling flowers.
春ごとにおなじ櫻の花なれば惜しむ心もかはらざりけり
Faru goto ni
onazi sakura no
Fana nareba
oshimu kokoro mo
kaFazarikeri | Each and every spring
Just the same the cherry
Blossoms,
So, too, my feelings of regret,
Are unchanging. |
The Mother of Lord Nagazane
Composed on the conception of falling flowers.
春ごとにおなじ櫻の花なれば惜しむ心もかはらざりけり
Faru goto ni
onazi sakura no
Fana nareba
oshimu kokoro mo
kaFazarikeri | Each and every spring
Just the same the cherry
Blossoms,
So, too, my feelings of regret,
Are unchanging. |
The Mother of Lord Nagazane
Composed on the scent of plum blossom at night.
むめがえにかぜやふくらん春の夜はをらぬ袖さへにほひぬるかな
mume ga e ni
kaze ya Fukuran
Faru no yo Fa
woranu sode saFe
nioFinuru kana | Are the plum trees’ branches
Being blown by the wind?
On a night in springtime
Even unfolded sleeves
Give forth a scent! |
Nagafusa, Former Assistant Governor General of the Dazaifu
'Simply moving and elegant'
