Another poem by Yakamochi, with tanka.
我がやどに 花ぞ咲きたる そを見れど 心もゆかず はしきやし 妹がありせば 水鴨なす ふたり竝び居 手折りても 見せましものを うつせみの 借れる身なれば 露霜の 消ぬるがごとく あしひきの 山道をさして 入日なす 隱りにしかば そこ思ふに 胸こそ痛き 言ひもえず 名づけも知らず 跡もなき 世閒にあれば 爲むすべもなし
wa ga yado ni pana zö sakitaru so wo miredö kökörö mu yukazu pasikiyasi imo ga ariseba mikamo nasu putari narabiwi taworitemo misemasi monö wo utusemi nö kareru mï nareba tuyu simo nö kinuru ga götöku asipiki nö yamadi wo sasite iripi nasu kakuri ni sikaba sökö omopu ni mune kösö itaki ipi mo ezu naduke mo sirazu ato mo naki yo nö naka ni areba semusube mo nasi |
At my home The blossoms have flowered, Yet the sight Does not ease my heart. If my sweet Darling were here, Like mated ducks Paired side-by-side, we’d be; And if I plucked a spray, I would want to show it to her. As a cicada shell Is our fleeting flesh; As dew and frost It disappears; The foot-wearying Mountain paths she trod and, As the setting sun, Vanished. Thinking on it, Hurts my breast; I cannot speak I know not what name to give; Not a trace will be left Of the world of men, so There’s nothing to be done. |