Composed on the instructions of His Majesty, on the way back from Sumiyoshi, when he had accompanied him there in the Third Month, Enkyū 5 [April 1073].
おきつかぜふきにけらしな住吉の松のしづえをあらふしらなみ
okitsukaze fukinikerashi na sumiyoshi no matsu no shizue o arau shiranami The wind in the offing Is gusting, it seems, for At Sumiyoshi The pines’ low branches Are washed by whitecaps.
Minister of Justice Tsunenobu
From among his summer poems.
枝にもる朝日のかげのすくなさにすずしさふかき竹のおくかな
eda ni moru asahi no kage mo sukunasa ni suzushisa fukaki take no oku kana Leaking through the branches The morning sunlight is Scanty upon The depths of coolness Deep within the bamboo grove!
Former Major Counsellor Tamekane
Created with Adobe Firefly.
Composed on plum blossom.
梅がえにこほれる霜やとけぬらんほしあへぬ露の花にこぼるる
ume ga e ni kōreru shimo ya tokenuran hoshiaenu tsuyu no hana ni koboreru Upon the plum tree’s branches The frozen frost Is melting, it seems— Never-drying dewdrops Overflow the blossom.
Created with Soan .
Composed on birds.
春霞 流共尓 青柳之 枝喙持而 鴬鳴毛
春霞流るるなへに青柳の枝くひ持ちて鴬鳴くも
parugasumi nagaruru nape ni awoyagi no eda kupimotite ugupisu naku mo The spring haze Flows along The green willow Branches, consuming where The warbler sings…
Anonymous
Spring
Ten Poems on the Second Month
Left
あをやぎのえだにかかれるはるさめはいともてぬけるたまかとぞみる
aoyagi no eda ni kakareru harusame wa ito mo te nukeru tama ka to zo miru Upon the green willow Branches hang Spring raindrops— As if each frond were hand-threaded With gems do they appear.
Ise 1
Right
あさみどりそめてみだれるあをやぎのいとをばはるのかぜやよるらむ
asamidori somete midareru aoyagi no ito oba haru no kaze ya yoruramu Pale green Dyes the tangled Willow Fronds—do spring’s Breeze they seem to beckon?
Korenori 2
I’d say both of these are good—a tie.
In reply.
春雨にいかにぞ梅やにほふ覧わが見る枝は色もかはらず
Farusame ni ika ni zo mume ya niFoFuran wa ga miru eda Fa iro mo kaFarazu n such spring rain However might the plum Let out its lustrous scent? The branches before my eyes Have yet to change their hues.
Ki no Haseyo
These are poems which His Majesty had everyone in attendance compose on the day.
わがやどをみなへし ひとのすぎゆかばあきのくさばはしぐれざらまし
wa ga yado o mina heshi hito no sugiyukaba aki no kusaba wa shigurezaramashi Should my house By all the passing folk Be passed by, then Would not the autumn grasses Scatter showers?
Minamoto no Tsuruna 29
をしめどもえだにとまらぬもみぢばをみなへし おきてあきののちみむ
oshimedomo eda ni tomaranu momijiba o mina heshi okite aki no nochi mimu I regret it, yet On the branches have not lingered Scarlet leaves— I will press them, every one, To gaze on after autumn’s passing.
Muneyuki 30
Left
をみなへしうつろふあきのほどをなみねさへうつしてをしむけふかな
ominaeshi utsurou aki no hodo o nami ne sae utsushite oshimu kyō kana The maidenflower With the autumn will fade Soon away; Being shifted here root and all She must regret, today!
19[1]
Right
うつらずはふゆともわかじをみなへしときはのえだにさきかへらなむ
utsurazu wa fuyu to mo wakaji ominaeshi tokiwa no eda ni sakikaeranamu Ever unfading and All unknowing of the winter, O, maidenflower, On evergreen branches I would you returned to bloom!
20
[1] Shinsen man’yōshū 514
Composed on the scent of plum blossom at night.
むめがえにかぜやふくらん春の夜はをらぬ袖さへにほひぬるかな
mume ga e ni kaze ya Fukuran Faru no yo Fa woranu sode saFe nioFinuru kana Are the plum trees’ branches Being blown by the wind? On a night in springtime Even unfolded sleeves Give forth a scent!
Nagafusa, Former Assistant Governor General of the Dazaifu
Left 白雪の降りつもれる山里は人さへやおもひ消ゆらむ[1]
shirayuki no furitsumoreru yamazato wa sumu hito sae ya omoikiyuramu White snow Has fallen, drifted high around The mountain home; Might even he who lives there Be buried in melancholy?
This poem is missing from some texts of the contest and thus is unnumbered.
Right
ひかりまつ枝にかかれる雪をこそ冬の花とはいふべかりけれ
hikari matsu eda ni kakareru yuki o koso fuyu no hana to wa iubekarikere Awaiting the light Upon the branches clings Snow: Winter’s blossom—that’s what It should be called!
144
[1] Kokinshū VI: 328, attributed to Mibu no Tadamine.
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