On cherry blossom.
聲よくば諷ふものをさくらちる
koe yokuba
utawau mono wo
sakura chiru |
Could I but hold a tune
I would sing about
This falling cherry blossom! |
(Probably composed post 1688)
On cherry blossom.
木のもとの汁も鱠も櫻かな
ki no moto no
shiru mo namasu mo
sakura kana |
Beneath the trees
With all good things to hand–
O, what cherry blossom! |
(1690, Second Day of the Third Month)
On cherry blossom.
鸛の巣に嵐の外のさくら哉
kō no su ni
arashi no hoka no
sakura kana |
The storks’ nest lies
Untouched by storm winds, but what
Of cherry blossom… |
(1689)
On cherry blossom.
扇にて酒くむかげやちる櫻
ogi nite
sake kumu kage ya
chiru sakura |
With my fan
I mime sipping sake–shaded by
Falling cherry blossom. |
(1688)
On cherry blossom.
咲亂す桃の中より初櫻
sakimidasu
momo no naka yori
hatsuzakura |
A riot of blossom:
Amongst the peach appears
The first cherry. |
(1688)
On willow.
傘に押わけみたる柳かな
karakasa ni
oshiwakemitaru
yanagi kana |
With my umbrella up,
I press on through
The hanging willow branches. |
(1694)
On plum blossom.
むめがゝにのつと日の出る山路かな
mume ga ka ni
notsu to hi no deru
yamaji kana |
Amid the scent of plum
Suddenly the sun appears
On this mountain path. |
(1694)
On plum blossom.
春もやゝけしきとゝのふ月と梅
haru mo yaya
keshiki totonou
tsuki to mume |
Spring is, at long last,
Here, it feels, in the
Moon and plum blossom. |
(1693)
On plum blossom.
人も見ぬ春や鏡のうらの梅
hito mo minu
haru ya kagami no
ura no mume |
No one sees
This spring–on the mirror’s
Underside blooms plum. |
(1692)
On plum.
梅白し昨日や鶴をぬすまれし
mume shiroshi
kinô ya tsuru wo
nusumareshi |
The plum blossom’s so white–
Was it yesterday the cranes
Were stolen? |
(1685)
'Simply moving and elegant'