A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō emperor.
吹風や春立ち来ぬと告げつらん枝にこもれる花咲きにけり
Fuku kaze ya Faru tatikinu to tuketuran eda ni komoreru Fana sakinikeri | Is it the blowing breeze that Spring’s arrival does Announce? For once tightly closed upon the branch Blossom has bloomed. |
Anonymous
From the Poetry Contest at Prince Koresada’s House.
にはかにも風のすずしくなりぬるか秋立日とはむべもいひけり
niFaka ni mo kaze no suzushiku narinuru ka aki tatsu Fi to Fa mube mo iFikeri | How swiftly Cool the breeze Has turned! That this day is Autumn’s first It says so well. |
Anonymous
Wind
Left (Win)
おはらきのもりのくずはもふくかぜにもみぢもあへずちりやしぬらん
oharaki no mori no kuzuha mo fuku kaze ni momiji mo aezu chiri ya shinuran | In Oharaki Among the groves, will the kudzu leaves, When the wind does blow Parting from the scarlet leaves Scatter, too, I wonder? |
Tamemasa
3
Right
みかきののくさこそなびけよろづよのはじめのあきのかぜのこゑかも
mikaki no no kusa koso nabike yorozu yo no hajime no aki no kaze no koe kamo | In the fields by the sacred walls The grasses do sway; Ten thousand generations’ First autumn Breeze sounds out! |
Nagayoshi
4
Topic unknown.
わがやどの花たちばなにふく風をたが里よりとたれながむらん
wa ga yado no hanatachibana ni fuku kaze o ta ga sato yori to tare nagamuran | From my home The scent of orange blossom Is carried on the breeze; Will you wonder from whose house it came Lost in pensive thoughts? |
Major Controller of the Left Chikamune
Topic unknown.
うき雲のいざよふよひの村雨におひ風しるくにほふたちばな
ukigumo no izayou yoi no murasame ni oikaze shiruku niou tachibana | Drifting clouds Trail through the night Bringing a summer shower and On the pursuing breeze, clearly, The scent of orange blossom. |
Fujiwara no Iemoto
Topic unknown.
風にちるはなたちばなに袖しめてわがおもふいもが手枕にせん
kaze ni chiru hanatachibana ni sode shimete wa ga omou imo ga tamakura ni sen | Scattered on the breeze Orange blossoms’ scent Has sunk into my sleeves, So to my darling girl My arm as a pillow will I proffer. |
Fujiwara no Mototoshi
Groves 原
谷おろしの風しやみねばよとともにおきつがはらにくぬぎ波だつ
tani’oroshi no kaze shi yamineba yo to tomo ni okitsu ga hara ni kunugi namidatsu | From down the valley The breeze has ceased, so now With the fall of night Across plain at Okitsu Waves run through the chestnut oaks. |
Akinaka
Topic unknown.
吹風をなきてうら見ようぐひすは我やは花に手だにふれたる
Fuku kaze wo nakite uramiyo uguFisu Fa ware ya Fa Fana ni te dani Furetaru | The gusting breeze With song does reproach The warbler, or Is it me? For on the blossoms Have I dared to lay a hand… |
Anonymous
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
霞立春の山辺はとをけれど吹くる風は花の香ぞする
kasumi tatu Faru no yamabe Fa towokeredo Fukikuru kaze Fa Fana no ka zo suru | Hazes rise Round the mountains’ sides, So far away, and yet The gusting breeze comes Bearing the scent of blossom. |
Ariwara no Motokata
Composed when someone said there was nothing that scattered as swiftly as cherry blossom.
桜花とくちりぬとも思ほえず人の心ぞ風もふきあへぬ
sakurabana toku tirinu tomo omoFoezu Fito no kokoro zo kaze mo FukiaFenu | Cherry blossoms Are swiftly scattered – I think not, for Folks’ hearts, too Are fluttered by the breeze. |
Tsurayuki
'Simply moving and elegant'