Category Archives: Kin’yōshū

KYS II: 154

Composed on waiting for the moon by the water at Lord Kinzane’s residence.

夏の夜の月待つ程の手ずさみに岩もる清水いく結びしつ

natsu no yo no
tuki matu Fodo no
tezusami ni
iFa moru simidu
iku musubisitu
On a summer night,
Waiting for the moon,
My hands keep busy by
Through the pure water dripping from the rocks
Running time and time again.

Fujiwara no Mototoshi

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

KYS I: 135

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

KYS II: 93

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

KYS II: 91

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

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

KYS I: 39

Composed on spending spring accompanied by nothing but blossom.

ちらぬ間は花をともにて過ぎぬべし春よりのちのしる人もがな

tiranu ma Fa
Fana wo tomo nite
suginubesi
Faru yori noti no
siru Fito mogana
While still unscattered
The blossom is my only friend, and
When ‘tis past
And spring is gone, then
Would I have folk to know!

The Hanazono Minister of the Left

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

KYS IX: 543

During the period when Izumi Shiku had accompanied Yasumasa to Tango, when there was a poetry match in the capital and Handmaid Koshikibu was selected as one of the poets, Lord Sadayori came to her chamber at the palace and went on at her, asking, ‘How are your poems coming along? Will you be sending them to your mother in Tango? Has your messenger not returned yet?’ and really seemed very unsettled about everything, so she composed this as a playful way of preventing him from going himself.

おほえ山いくのの道のとほければまだふみもみずあまのはしだて

oFoeyama
ikuno no michi no
toFokereba
mada Fumi mo miezu
ama no Fasidate
In Ōeyama
The path to Ikuno
Lies far away, so
I’ve not set foot upon it, or had a letter from
Ama-no-Hashidate!

Handmaid Koshikibu

KYS IX: 550

During the period when Izumi Shiku had accompanied Yasumasa to Tango, when there was a poetry match in the capital and Handmaid Koshikibu was selected as one of the poets, Lord Sadayori came to her chamber at the palace and went on at her, asking, ‘How are your poems coming along? Will you be sending them to your mother in Tango? Has your messenger not returned yet?’ and really seemed very unsettled about everything, so she composed this as a playful way of preventing him from going himself.

おほえ山いくのの道のとほければまだふみもみずあまのはしだて

oFoeyama
ikuno no miti no
toFokereba
mada Fumi mo miezu
ama no Fasidate
In Ōeyama
The path to Ikuno
Lies far away, so
I’ve not set foot upon it, or had a letter from
Ama-no-Hashidate!

Handmaid Koshikibu

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

KYS III: 211

Composed on the moon at dawn on the road to a barrier, while at the Shirakawa residence of the former Uji Grand Minister.

あり明の月もし水にやどりけりこよひはこえじあふさかの関

ariake no
tuki mo simizu ni
yadorikeri
koyoFi Fa koezi
aFusaka no seki
The dawntime
Moon within pure water
Has lodged;
Tonight I’ll not pass
The barrier at Meeting Hill.

Lord Fujiwara no Norinaga

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.