Category Archives: Shinkokinshū

SKKS VI: 704

Composed on the conception of the evening of the year by the sea, at the residence of the Tsuchimikado Palace Minister.

ゆくとしをゝじまのあまのぬれ衣かさねて袖になみやかくらん

yuku toshi o
ojima no ama no
nuregoromo
kasnete sode ni
nami ya kakuran
The parting year covers me with
Regret, as at Ojima the fisherfolk’s
Drenched robes are
Laid atop each other, with sleeves
Still washed by waves, it seems…

Fujiwara no Ari’ie

SKKS VI: 702

At the evening of the year, when she was lamenting that she had grown old.

かぞふればとしののこりもなかりけり老いぬるばかりかなしきはなし

kazoureba
toshi no nokori mo
nakarikeri
oinuru bakari
kanashiki wa nashi
I count the days, but
Remnants of this year
Are none;
My age, simply brings
Nothing but sadness.

Izumi Shikibu

SKKS VI: 693

Composed on the evening of the year.

へだて行くよよの面かげかきくらし雪にふりぬるとしの暮かな

hedateyuku
yo yo no omokage
kakikurashi
yuki ni furinuru
toshi no kure kana
Disappearing into the distance
Are the shapes of times gone by,
Darkness descending with
The falling snow—my age
At the evening of the year.

The Daughter of Master of the Dowager Empress Household Office Toshinari

SKKS II: 172

A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō emperor.

待てといふに留らぬものと知りながらしひてぞおしき春の別れは

mate to iu ni
tomaranu mono to
shirinagara
shiite zo oshiki
haru no wakare wa
Asking it to stay, when that
It will not remain
I know too well—
And yet how strongly I regret
Parting from spring…

Anonymous

SKKS I: 65

A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō emperor.

水の面にあやをりみだる春雨や山のみどりをなべて染むらん

mizu no omo ni
ayaori midaru
harusame ya
yama no midori o
nabete somuran
Upon the water’s surface
A confusing pattern paints
The rain of spring—
Will it now the mountains
All dye with green, I wonder?

Ōchikōchi no Mitsune

SKKS I: 5

On the conception of the beginning of spring, composed for a hundred poem sequence for the Lay Priest and former Regent and Chancellor, when he was Minister of the Right.

今日といへば大唐までもゆく春を都にのみと思ひけるかな

kyō to ieba
morokoshi made mo
yuku haru o
miyako ni nomi to
omoikeru kana
On this day, the spring that
Even unto Cathay
Will travel is
In the capital alone
I feel!

Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Shunzei
皇太后宮大夫俊成

SKKS XVII: 1623

When Lord Yoshinobu had gone to Ōharano, he met someone whom it seemed strange to find living in such a mountain retreat; when Yoshinobu asked him how he had come to be there:

世中を背きにとてはこしかどもなを憂きことは大原の里

yo no naka o
somuki ni tote wa
koshikadomo
nao uki koto wa
ōhara no sato
“The mundane world
I will abandon,” I said and
Came here, yet
Still are there many sorrows
In this estate at Ōhara.

Anonymous