Composed as a poem on blossom.
散る花を身にかふ計おもへども叶はで年の老いにける哉
tiru Fana wo
mi ni kaFu bakari
omoFedomo
kanaFade tosi no
oinikeru kana |
The scattering blossom
For myself to exchange, is my only
Thought, but
It does nothing and with every year
I grow a little older! |
The Monk Dōin
Composed as a poem on blossom.
おしなべて花の盛になりにけり山の端ごとにかゝる白雲
osinabete
Fana no sakari ni
narinikeri
yama no Fa goto ni
kakaru sira kumo |
’Tis all the same-
Blossoms in profusion
Everywhere;
And on every mountain’s edge
White clouds hang. |
The Monk En’i
Kinzane composed this in the conception of the beginning of spring.
春たちて木末にきえぬ白雪はまだきに咲ける花かとぞ見る
Faru tatite
kozue ni kienu
sira yuki Fa
madaki ni sakeru
Fana ka to zo miru |
Spring has risen and
On the treetops still remains
Snow-white-
Early blooming
Flowers appear to be. |
Master of the Crown Prince’s Household [Fujiwara no] Kinzane
Composed for a folding screen picture, showing regret for the falling cherry blossoms.
山里に散り果てぬべき花故に誰とはなくて人ぞまたるゝ
yamazato ni
tiriFatenubeki
Fana yuFe ni
tare to Fa nakute
Fito zo mataruru |
About this mountain dwelling
Have fallen all, it seems,
Of the blossoms, so
Somehow,
I am awaiting one who must come. |
Minamoto no Michinari (d. 1019)
Thrush (tugumi)
咲く花に思ひつくみのあぢきなき身にいたつきの入るも知らずて
saku Fana ni
omoFituku mi no
adikinaki
mi ni itatuki no
iru mo sirazute |
Blossoms in bloom,
I love them so, yet
It’s pointless:
For I may fall ill
I know not when! |
Ōtomo no Kuronushi
Thrush (tugumi)
我が心あやしくあだに春來れば花につく身となどてなりけん
wa ga kokoro
ayasiku ada ni
Faru kureba
Fana ni tuku mi to
nadote nariken |
My heart
Is strangely hollow:
With the coming of the Spring,
I, who love the blossoms so:
What am I to do? |
Ōtomo no Kuronushi
When she had abandoned the world of men and was living by the sea.
花咲きて實ならぬ物はわたつうみのかざしにさせる沖つ白浪
Fana sakite
mi naranu mono Fa
wata tu umi no
kazasi ni saseru
oki tu siranami |
Blossoms blooming
Yet making no seed are
The sea-god’s
Garlanded
Whitecaps offshore. |
Komachi
小町
On the road, on a profusion of blossom around the Third Month.
折つればたぶさにけがる立てながら三世の佛に花たてまつる
wori tureba
tabusa ni kegaru
tatenagara
miyo no Fotoke ni
Fana tatematuru |
Were I to pluck one,
My hand would besmirch it, so
As they stand
To the Three Worlds’ Buddhas
I’ll proffer these flowers. |
Archbishop Henjō
僧正遍照
Composed on blossom on a folding screen.
咲きそめし時より後はうちはへて世は春なれや色のつねなる
sakisomesi
toki yori noti Fa
utiFaFete
yo Fa Faru nare ya
iro no tunenaru |
From the first bloom
And ever since that time
Endures
This world of spring,
Colours never changing. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
'Simply moving and elegant'