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
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… |
Tomonori
20
This poem was included in Kokinshū (V: 274).
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 Gusting at Fukiage Are the white chrysanthemums Blooms, or are the not, and just The breaking waves? |
The Suga Prime Minister [Sugawara no Michizane]
8
This poem was included in Kokinshū (V:272), where it has a somewhat longer and more explanatory headnote.
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? |
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