On thunder.
天のはら鳴る神いかに思ふらんけふは身をしる雨とこそふれ
ama no hara naru kami ika ni omouran kyō wa mi o shiru ame to koso fure | From the plain of Heaven Sounds the Gods’ thunder—what Might they be thinking? For today my misery as Rain does fall on! |
Anonymous
Lilac Daphne
Left (Tie)
かたをかにひのはなばなにみえつるはこのもかのもにたれかつけつる
kataoka ni hi no hanabana ni mietsuru wa konomo kanomo ni tare katsuketsuru | Upon the hillside The fires as flowers Do appear— Here and there, Who has kindled them? |
Tsurayuki
17
Right
わたつみのおきなかにひのはなれいでてもゆとみゆるはあまつほしかも
watatsumi no oki naka ni hi no hanare’idete moyu to miyuru wa ama tsu hoshi kamo | Across the broad sea sweep Upon the offing, fires In the distance Burn it seems— Stars within the heavens, perhaps… |
Tomonori
18
Azaleas
Left
かりがねにおもひかけつつしのばなんあまつそらなるわが身なりとも
kari ga ne ni omoikaketsutsu shinobanan ama tsu sora naru wa ga mi naritomo | Upon the goose cries Ever hang your thoughts, and Remember, that Within the sky-spanning heavens I may yet be… |
Sadafun
15
Right
うぐひすのこゑなつかしくなきつるはのちもこひつつしのばなむとか
uguisu no koe natsukashiku nakitsuru wa nochi mo koitsutsu shinobanamu to ka | Does the warbler’s Song so charmingly Ring out that Later, ever fondly Will he be remembered? |
16
Left
秋のよのあまてる月の光にはおく白露を玉とこそ見れ
aki no yo no ama teru tsuki no hikari ni wa oku shiratsuyu o tama to koso mire | On an autumn night The heaven-shining moon’s Light upon The fallen silver dewdrops Truly, makes them seem as jewels. |
98[1]
Right
あきののにおける露をばひとりぬる我が涙とも思ひしれかし
aki no no ni okeru tsuyu oba hitori nuru wa ga namida to mo omoishire kashi | Upon the autumn fields Drop dewdrops; Sleeping alone, My tears— Think on them, why don’t you! |
99
[1] Shinchokusenshū V: 281/Shinsen man’yōshū 95
Left
ちらねどもかねてぞをしき紅葉ばは今はかぎりの色とみつれば
chiranedomo kanete zo oshiki momijiba wa ima wa kagiri no iro to mitsureba | Not fallen yet Even now is there something to regret In the scarlet autumn leaves, For already the utmost of Their hues do I see, so… |
96[1]
Right
白波に秋の木のはのうかべるはあまのながせる舟かとぞ見る
shiranami ni aki no ko no ha no ukaberu o ama no nagaseru fune ka to zo miru | Atop the whitecaps Autumn leaves Float as Divers’ drifting Boats seeming. |
97[2]
[1] Kokinshū V: 264/Shinsen man’yōshū 105.
[2] Kokinshū V: 301, attributed to Fujiwara no Okikaze/Kokin rokujō III: 1825, attributed to Kiyowara no Fukayabu.
A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.
秋のよのあまてる月の光にはおく白露を玉とこそ見れ
aki no yo no ama teru tsuki no hikari ni wa oku shiratsuyu o tama to koso mire | On an autumn night The heaven-shining moon’s Light upon The fallen silver dewdrops Truly, makes them seem as jewels. |
Anonymous