A poem from the Poetry Competition held in the reign of the Kanpyō Empress.
谷風にとくる氷のひまごとに打いづる波や春のはつ花
| tanikaze ni tokuru koFori no Fimagoto ni uti’iduru nami ya Faru no FatuFana |
In the valley’s breezes Does melt the ice, and From every crack Do burst waves – are these The first blooms of spring? |
Minamoto no Masazumi
源当純
On wind.
萩の花咲きたる野辺にひぐらしの鳴くなるなへに秋の風吹く
| pagi no pana sakitaru nobe ni pigurasi no nakunaru nape ni aki no kaze puku |
Bush clover blooms Flowering in the fields where While the evening cicadas Sing Blows the autumn wind. |
Anonymous
Composed on the figure of a person waiting at the foot of a chrysanthemum.
花見つつ人待つときは白栲の袖かとのみぞあやまたれける
| Fana mitutu Fito matu toki Fa shirotaFe no sode ka to nomi zo ayamatarekeru |
While gazing at the blooms, Awaiting his arrival, Simply for white mulberry Sleeves have I Mistaken them… |
20
A chrysanthemum from the beach at Fukiage in the province of Ki.
秋風の吹上に立てる白菊は花かあらぬか波のよするか
| akikaze no Fukiage ni tateru siragiku Fa Fana ka aranu ka nami no yosuru ka |
In the autumn breeze Arising at Fukiage Are the white chrysanthemums Blooms, or are the not, and just The breaking waves? |
8
The Chrysanthemum Match during the reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.
The Gentlemen of the Left. For the chrysanthemum in the initial round, Kotategimi, a young courtier lad, was dressed as a woman, and brought in the flower, hiding his face with it. A further nine blooms were planted in a suhama. The form of the suhama was certainly very charming. The chrysanthemums had their names written on long strips of paper, which were twined about them in places to show them to their best advantage.
Initial Round: a chrysanthemum from Minase in Yamazaki
うちつけに水瀬は匂ひまされるをり人からか花の常かも
| uchituke ni minase Fa nioFi masareru wori Fito kara ka Fana no tune kamo |
Suddenly Minase, with scent Superb is filled – Is it from a lady there, or Are the blooms ever so? |
1
Love in the middle of the day.
契りおきしほどは近くやなりぬらむしをれにけりな朝顔の花
| tigiri okisi Fodo Fa tikaku ya narinuramu siworenikeri na asagaFo no Fana |
Does our promised Time seem to Draw near? All drooping are The morning glory blooms… |
The Ninth Day of the Ninth Month
九月の九日までに服乱る十日の菊の花びらけなむ
| nagatsuki no kokonuka made ni fuku midaru tōka no kiku no hana birakenamu |
For the Ninth Month’s Ninth day, Its garb disarrayed On the Tenth, the chrysanthemum Does surely open up its blooms! |
Minamoto no Kanemasa
源兼昌
皆人の老いを忘るといふ菊は百年をやる花にそありける
| mina Fito no oi wo wasuru to iFu kiku Fa momotose wo yaru Fana ni zo arikeru |
Everyone, Their age will forget, they Say: for chrysanthemums A hundred years gift Have in their blooms! |
菊の花露と置きゐていざ折らむ濡れなば袖の香こそ匂はめ
| kiku no Fana tuyu to okiwite iza oramu nurenaba sode no ka koso niFoFame |
For the chrysanthemum blooms’ Dewfall have I lain awake; Now, let’s pick them! For if I should damp my sleeves Their scent would linger there! |
濡れ衣と人にいはすな菊の花齢延ぶとぞ我そぼちつる
| nureginu to Fito ni iFasu na kiku no Fana yoFaFi nobu to zo ware sobotituru |
That you have no effect – Give folk no cause to say it, O chrysanthemum blooms! Saying you’ll prolong my years I am drenched right through! |