Composed on the evening of the Seventh day.
織女にかしつる絲の打ちはへて年のをながくこひやわたらむ
tanabata ni
kasituru ito no
utiFaFete
tosi no wo nagaku
koFi ya wataran
To the Weaver Maid
We offer thread
Stretched out
A year is far, indeed,
Will love span it, I wonder?
Ōshikōchi no Mitsune (Fl. 898-922)
凡河内 躬恒
Composed on the evening of the Seventh Day.
年ごとにあふとはすれどたなばたのぬるよのかずぞすくなかりける
tosi goto ni
aFu to suredo
tanabata no
nuru yo no kazu zo
sukunakarikeru
Every year
She meets him, yet
The Weaver Maid’s
Nights of passion
Are few indeed.
Ōshikōchi no Mitsune (Fl. 898-922)
凡河内躬恒
Composed at a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the same era.
契りけむ心ぞつらきたなばたの年にひとたびあふはあふかは
tigiriken
kokoro zo turaki
tanabata no
tosi ni Fito tabi
aFu Fa aFu ka Fa
The vow
Of a pitiless heart:
The Weaver Maid,
But once a year
Will meet; can it be true?
Fujiwara no Okikaze
藤原興風
During the Kanpyō Era [889-897], on the night of the Seventh Day, His Majesty [Emperor Uda] commanded the gentlemen waiting upon him to compose poems; Tomonori composed this poem in place of someone else.
天河あさせしら浪たどりつつわたりはてねばあけぞしにける
ama no kaFa
asase shiranami
tadoritutu
watariFateneba
ake zo sinikeru
The River of Heaven has
Shallows-white wave marked-in ignorance
Searching, searching and
Unable to cross, yet
The dawn has broken.
Ki no Tomonori (Fl. ca. ?850-?904)
紀友則
Topic unknown.
こひこひてあふ夜はこよひあまの河きり立ちわたりあけずもあらなむ
koFikoFite
aFu yo Fa koyowi
amanogaFa
kiri tatiwatari
akezu mo aranan
I’ve yearned and yearned and,
Tonight’s the night we meet.
Oh, River of Heaven,
May mist rise across you and,
Let dawn not come!
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
天河紅葉をはしにわたせばやたなばたつめの秋をしもまつ
ama no gaFa
momidi o Fasi ni
wataseba ya
tanabatatume no
aki wo si mo matu
Heaven’s River,
On a bridge of scarlet leaves
Can you be crossed?
The Weaver Maid
Eagerly awaits the autumn.
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
久方のあまのかはらのわたしもり君わたりなばかぢかくしてよ
Fisakata no
ama no kaFara no
watasimori
kimi watarinaba
kadi kakusite yo
On the eternal
Riverbank of Heaven,
You, ferryman,
When my lord has crossed
Hide your oars!
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
秋風の吹きにし日より久方のあまのかはらにたたぬ日はなし
akikaze no
Fukinisi Fi yori
Fisakata no
ama no kaFara ni
tatanu Fi Fa nasi
Autumn winds
Blew and from that day
From the eternal
Bank of heaven’s river
I have not moved once.
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
きのふこそさなへとりしかいつのまにいなばそよぎて秋風の吹く
kinoFu koso
sanaFe torisika
itu no ma ni
inaba soyogite
akikaze no Fuku
Only yesterday
I planted seedlings
So when did
The rice leaves start rustling amid,
The gusting Autumn wind?
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
わがせこが衣のすそを吹き返しうらめづらしき秋のはつ風
waga seko ga
koromo no suso wo
Fukikaesi
uramedurasiki
aki no Fatu kaze
My darling man’s
Robe hem
Blown back;
How fine to see inside,
With the first wind of autumn.
Anonymous
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'Simply moving and elegant'