In the spring of Kenryaku 2 [1212] when there had been a match of Cathay-style poetry at the palace, he composed this on the topic of ‘a spring dawn at a dwelling in the mountains’.
月かげのこずゑにのこる山のはに花もかすめるはるのあけぼの
| tsukikage no kozue ni nokoru yama no ha ni hana mo kasumeru haru no akebono | The moonlight Lingers ‘pon the treetops On the mountains’ edge; The blossoms are all hazy At the dawn in sprintime. |
The Rokujō Lay Priest and Former Chancellor
[Fujiwara no Yorizane 藤原頼実 (1155-1225)]
Spring Showers
Left (Win)
をやみなくふらばふらなむはるさめはのにもやまにもはなのさくまで
| oyaminaku furuba furanamu harusame wa no ni mo yama ni mo hana no saku made | If endlessly They are to fall, then let them! Spring showers Upon the plains and mountains, both, Until the blossoms bloom… |
9
Right
はるさめのふりそめしよりのもやまもあさみどりにぞみえわたりける
| harusame no furisomeshi yori no mo yama mo asamidori ni zo miewatarikeru | Since spring showers Began to fall Upon both plains and mountains Pale green has Appeared all over! |
10
Plum Blossom
Left
わがやどにふきくるかぜのにほへるはかきねのむめのはなやちるらむ
| wa ga yado ni fukikuru kaze no nioeru wa kakine no mume no hana ya chiruramu | To my house The breeze comes blowing With the scent of The plum by my brushwood fence— Maybe the blossoms are scattering? |
5[i]
Right (Win)
をしむとてをりしばかりをむめのはなそでににほひのたえずまるかな
| oshimu tote orishi bakari o mume no hana sode ni nioi no taezumaru kana | How dear to me, I think, are, Just plucked, These plum blossoms, for Their scent upon my sleeves Will ever cling! |
6
[i] This poem is included in Shoku kokinshū (I: 66), attributed to Kanemori, with the headnote ‘A poem from the Poetry Match held by the Reikeiden Junior Consort’.
While he was residing at Mount Hiei, and someone asked him for some incense, he sent this, attached to a branch of plum from which the blossom had scattered.
春すぎてちりはてにける梅の花ただかばかりぞ枝にのこれる
| Faru sugite tiriFatekeru mume no Fana tada ka bakari zo eda ni nokoreru | Spring is gone and All scattered are The plum blossoms: Only their fragrance Lingers on the branch! |
Dharma Master Jogan
When a wisteria blossom banquet was held at the Hall of Flying Fragrances during the reign of the Engi Emperor.
うすくこくみだれてさける藤の花ひとしき色はあらじとぞ思ふ
| usuku koku midarete sakeru Fudi no Fana Fitosiki iro Fa arazi to zo omoFu | Both deep and pale Blended blooming These wisteria blossoms Have equals in hue Nowhere at all, I feel. |
The Ononomiya Grand Minister 小野宮太政大臣
[Fujiwara no Saneyori 藤原実頼 (900-970)]
When former Emperor Reizei was Crown Prince and he instructed him to present a hundred poem sequence.
花の色にそめしたもとのをしければ衣かへうきけふにもあるかな
| Fana no iro ni somesi tamoto no wosikereba koromo kaFe’uki keFu ni mo aru kana | With the blossoms’ hues A’dyed, these sleeves Fill me with regret, so I am loath to change my garb, Indeed, today! |
Minamoto no Shigeyuki 源重之
When various people had come to see the blossom blooming beautifully at his mountain retreat in Kitashirakawa.
春きてぞ人もとひける山ざとは花こそやどのあるじなりけれ
| Faru kite zo Fito mo toFikeru yamazato Fa Fana koso yado no aruzi narikere | Spring has come, and Folk visiting, too, My mountain retreat: The blossoms are the dwelling’s Master, to be sure! |
Kintō, Captain of the Outer Palace Guards, Right Division
After he had already grown old, he planted a flowering plum and, at the beginning of the year when he had something on his mind
うゑし時花見むとしもおもはぬにさきちる見ればよはひ老いにけり
| uesi toki Fana mimu to simo omoFanu ni sakitiru mireba yoFai oinikeri | When I planted them, These blossoms to see I did not think, but Seeing them bloom and scatter, Such is my old age! |
Lord Fujiwara no Sukemoto
藤原扶幹朝臣
Topic unknown.
おとにきくよしののさくら見にゆかむつげよやまもりはなのさかりは
| oto ni kiku yoshino no sakura mi ni yukamu tsugeyo yamamori hana no sakari wa | By repute I’ve heard of Yoshino’s cherries, so Them I’ll go and see! Tell me, Mountain warden, Of the blossoms’ profusion! |
Hitomaro[1]
[1] This poem is also Hitomaro-shū 260 and Shokusenzaishū I: 71.
