When Princess Katsura had said ‘Catch some fireflies,’ and one of the boys had them wrapped up in the sleeves of his jacket.
つつめどもかくれぬ物は夏虫の身よりあまれる思ひなりけり
tutumedomo
kakurenu mono Fa
natumusi no
mi yori amareru
omoFinarikeri | Wrapped up, yet
Unconcealable are
The summer insects:
Their bodies bringing an excess
Of passion’s fires. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
やへむぐらしげきやどには夏虫の声より外に問ふ人もなし
yaFemugura
sigeki yado ni Fa
natumusi no
kowe yori Foka ni
toFu Fito mo nasi | The tangled, overlapping creepers
A lush dwelling do make;
The summer insects’
Songs apart
No folk come to call. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
夏虫の身をいたづらになすこともひとつ思ひによりてなりけり
natumusi no
mi wo itadura ni
nasu koto mo
Fitotu omoFi ni
yorite narikeri | Just as the summer insects
Heedlessly their bodies
Treat,
So I, in the flame of a single passion
Do… |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
君やこむ我やゆかむのいさよひにまきのいたどもささずねにけり
kimi ya komu
ware ya yukamu no
isayoFi ni
maki no itado mo
sasazu nenikeri | Will you come, or
Should I go?
Caught in hesitation,
My door of cedar boards
Unbarred, do I fall asleep. |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
かくしつつ世をやつくさむ高砂のをのへにたてる松ならなくに
kakusitutu
yo wo ya tukusamu
takasago no
wonoFe ni tateru
matu naranaku ni | Thus, I wonder
Will my life come to an end?
For on Takasago’s
Heights standing
A pine tree I am not … |
Anonymous
When someone was holding a plant-matching contest, and plants like morning glories were being compared, and a mirror blossom lay near her.
まけがたの耻かしげなる朝顏を鏡草にも見せてける哉
makegata no
Fadukasigenaru
asagaFo wo
kagamigusa ni mo
misetekeru kana |
The loser
Seems so bashful:
The morning glory
To the mirror bloom
Has displayed herself! |
Anonymous
When she was alone, an enquiry arrived from someone as to how she was, so she attached this to a morning glory and sent it to him.
夕暮のさびしき物は朝顔の花を頼める宿にぞ有りける
yuFugure no
sabisiki mono Fa
asagaFo no
Fana wo tanomeru
yado ni zo arikeru |
The evening is
So lonely:
A morning glory
Bloom alone is trustworthy
At my house! |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
都いでて今日みかの原泉河かは風さむし衣かぜ山
miyako idete
keFu mika no Fara
idumigaFa
kaFakaze samusi
koromo kaseyama |
Departing the capital,
Today on Mika meadow,
From the River Izumi
Chill is the wind, indeed, so
Lend me your robe, O Kase Moutain! |
Anonymous
From the Empress’ Poetry Competition in the Engi Period.
夏くれば深草山の郭公鳴く声しげくなりまさるなり
natu kureba
Fukakusayama no
Fototogisu
naku kowe sigeku
narimasaru nari |
When the summer comes,
Upon Fukakusa Mountain
The cuckoo
Calls most lushly
Do grow excessive! |
Anonymous
Topic unknown.
飛ぶ鳥の声も聞えぬ奥山の深き心を人は知らなむ
tobu tori no
kowe mo kikoenu
okuyama no
Fukaki kokoro wo
Fito Fa siranamu |
Flying birds’
Song does not reach
The mountains’ heart;
The depths of my love
I would have you know! |
Anonymous
'Simply moving and elegant'