MYS IX: 1738

A poem, with tanka, on the maiden Tamana, from Sue in Kamitsufusa.

しなが鳥 安房に繼ぎたる 梓弓 周淮の珠名は 胸別けの 廣き我妹 腰細の すがる娘子の その顏の きらきらしきに 花のごと 笑みて立てれば 玉桙の 道行く人は おのが行く 道は行かずて 呼ばなくに 門に至りぬ さし竝ぶ 隣の君は あらかじめ 己妻離れて 乞はなくに 鍵さへ奉る 人皆の かく惑へれば 顏よきに 寄りてぞ妹は たはれてありける

sinagatöri
apa ni tugitaru
adusa yumi
suwe nö tamana pa
munawakë nö
piroki wagimo
kösibosö nö
sugaru wotöme nö
sono kapo nö
kirakirasiki ni
pana nö götö
wemite tatereba
tamapokö nö
miti yuku pitö pa
ono ga yuku
miti pa yukazute
yobanakuni
kado ni itarinu
sasinarabu
tonari nö kimi pa
arakadime
onoduma karete
kopanakuni
kagi sapë maturu
pitö mina nö
kaku matopereba
kapo yoki ni
yörite zö imo pa
taparete arikeru
Dabchick
Awa abutting,
In the catalpa bow
Of Sue, lived Tamana:
Her breasts
Broad, my darling girl,
A narrow waisted
Mud-dauber maiden,
Her face:
Even and full of charm,
And like a flower
When she stood laughing,
Along the jewelled spear
Road travelling men,
As they went
Their path would halt,
Though she did not call them, and
To her gate they’d come.
On either side
Adjoining houses, their masters
Long since
Abandoning their wives,
Though she did not want them,
Even proffering her their keys.
With all men
Thus in confusion,
With her pretty face
The maiden went, and
Was wanton.

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