A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
霞立春の山辺はとをけれど吹くる風は花の香ぞする
kasumi tatu
Faru no yamabe Fa
towokeredo
Fukikuru kaze Fa
Fana no ka zo suru | Hazes rise
Round the mountains’ sides,
So far away, and yet
The gusting breeze comes
Bearing the scent of blossom. |
Ariwara no Motokata
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Topic unknown.
便りにもあらぬ思ひのあやしきは心を人につくるなりけり
tayori ni mo
aranu omoFi no
ayasiki Fa
kokoro wo Fito ni
tukuru narikeri |
Messengers
They are not, my feelings,
And yet, how strange:
For my heart to her
Has been delivered. |
Ariwara no Motokata
有原元方
Topic unknown.
立歸りあはれとぞ思ふよそにても人に心をおきつ白浪
tatikaFeri
aFare to zo omoFu
yoso nite mo
Fito ni kokoro wo
okitu siranami |
Rising and returning,
Filled with love,
However distant
You are, my heart
Lifts with the whitecaps. |
Ariwara no Motokata
有原元方
Topic unknown.
音羽山音に聞きつつ逢の関のこなたに年を経るかな
wotoFa yama
woto ni kikitutu
aFusaka no
seki no konata ni
tose wo Furu kana |
As wing-beats in the mountains
Do I hear tell of you;
But on Meeting Hill
Barrier’s inner side
Must I spend my days? |
Ariwara no Motokata
有原元方
Composed at the end of the year.
あらたまの年のをはりになるごとに雪もわが身もふりまさりつつ
aratama no
tosi no woFari ni
naru goto ni
yuki mo wa ga mi mo
Furimasaritutu |
When every
Year end
Comes
The snow on me
Piles higher. |
Ariwara no Motokata
有原元方
Composed as an Autumn poem.
雨降れどつゆも漏らじをかさとりの山はいかでかもみぢそめけむ
ame furedo
tuyu mo morazi wo
kasatori no
yama Fa ikadeka
momidi somekemu |
Though the rain does fall
Not a single drop leaks through
A rain-cap;
So why, has Cap Mountain
Started to stain with scarlet hues? |
Ariwara no Motokata
有原元方
Composed on the first goose.
まつ人にあらぬ物からはつかりのけさなくこゑのめづらしきかな
matu Fito ni
aranu mono kara
Fatukari no
kesa naku kowe no
medurasiki kana |
The one I’m waiting for,
Indeed, came not, yet,
The first goose
Cry this morning:
How precious it was! |
Ariwara no Motokata
在原元方
Composed on the moon.
秋の夜の月のひかりしあかければくらぶの山もこえぬべらなり
aki no yo no
tuki no Fikarisi
akakereba
kurabu no yama mo
koenubera nari |
When on an autumn night,
The moonlight
Shines,
Through even mountains of Darkness
Can I make my way. |
Ariwara no Motokata
有原元方
Composed in regret for the passage of spring.
をしめどもとどまらなくに春霞かへる道にしたちぬとおもへば
osimedomo
todomaranakuni
Farugasumi
kaFeru miti ni si
tatinu to omoFeba |
Though sad am I,
There’s no stopping it:
The spring haze
On its homebound path
Has departed. |
Motokata
元方
Composed on a day when spring arrived in the old year.
年のうちに春は来にけりひととせをこぞとやいはむことしとやいはむ
tosi no uti ni
Faru Fa kinikeri
Fitotose wo
kozo to ya iFan
kotosi to ya iFan | Within the year
Spring has come again;
The one year:
What should I say: that it’s last year,
Or that it’s the year to come? |
Ariwara no Motokata
'Simply moving and elegant'
