Autumn
秋のよを吹あげの峰の木がらしによこ雲しらぬ山のはの月
aki no yo o
fukiage no mine no
kogarashi ni
yokogumo shiranu
yama no ha no tsuki | On an autumn night
Above Fukiage peak
To the chill wild wind’s
Streaming clouds paying no heed is
The moon upon the mountain’s edge. |
Ietaka
Created with Soan.
[One of] Five love poems in a Twenty Poem Sequence composed in his retreat in Kenryaku 2 [1212].
あらち山やた野の浅茅色付きぬ人の心の峰の淡雪
arachiyama
yatano no asaji
irozukinu
hito no kokoro no
mine no awayuki | By Arachi Mountain,
In Yata meadow the cogon grass
Has taken on passion’s hues, but
My lady’s heart is
A peak covered in snow-spume. |
Ietaka
Created with Soan.
宮城野のま萩が上の白露を玉にしきても宿る月かな
miyagino no
mahagi ga ue no
shiratsuyu o
tama ni shikitemo
yadoru tsuki kana |
On Miyagi plain
Upon the fair bush clover
Silver dewdrops
Are spread like gems
Where the moon takes rest. |
Ietaka
竜田川紅葉葉とづる薄氷渡らばそれと中や絶えなむ
tatsutagawa
momijiba tozuru
usukōri
wataraba sore to
naka ya taenamu |
The River Tatsuta:
Scarlet leaves are sealed within
Sheet ice;
Should I cross would it
Shatter in the centre? |
Ietaka
和歌の浦や入り江の葦の霜の鶴かかる光にあはむとや見し
waka no ura ya
irie no ashi no
shimo no tsuru
kakaru hikari ni
awamu to ya mishi |
O Waka Bay!
In the reeds upon your shore
Did frost-covered cranes
With the light
I once see become one? |
Ietaka
沢田川真木のつきはしなかたえて霞ぞ渡る春の曙
sawadagawa
maki no tsugihashi
nakadaete
kasumi zo wataru
haru no akebono |
At Sawada River
The bridge of boards
Has broken in the middle, and
Only the haze does cross
On this spring dawn. |
いかにしてかげをも見まし沢田川袖つくほどの契りなりとも
ika ni shite
kage o mo mimashi
sawadagawa
sode tsuku hodo no
chigiri naritomo |
What am I to do?
I would see her face;
Though Sawada River
Striking upon my sleeves
Should be our bond! |
冬の夜の有明の月も塩の山指出の磯に千鳥なくなり
fuyu no yo no
ariake no tsuki mo
shio no yama
sashide no iso ni
chidori nakunari |
A winter’s night
At dawn, the moon on
Mount Shio
By the shore of Sashide does shine, and
The plovers cry. |
Fujiwara no Ietaka
見しか夜のまた雲とづるせきの戸を鳥はまことの音にゆるすなり
mishi ka yo no
mata kumo tozuru
seki no to o
tori wa makoto no
ne ni yurusunari |
Did I see that night
Still closed in with cloud
Blocking my door
A bird, a clear call
Set free. |
Ietaka
'Simply moving and elegant'
