A sedōka
蟋蟀之 吾床隔尓 鳴乍本名 起居管 君尓恋尓 宿不勝尓
こほろぎの あがとこのへに なきつつもとな おきゐつつ きみにこふるに いねかてなくに
koporogi no a ga toko no pe ni nakitutu mo to na okiwitutu kimi ni kopuru ni inekatenaku ni | The crickets By my bedside Are ever crying! Arising My love for you Keeps me from sleeping more… |
Anonymous
On blossom
草深三 蟋多 鳴屋前 芽子見公者 何時来益牟
くさふかみ こほろぎさはに なくやどの はぎみにきみは いつかきまさむ
kusa pukami koporogi sapa ni naku yado no pagi mi ni kimi pa ituka kimasamu | Deep within the grasses So noisily the crickets Cry around your house— You gaze upon the bush clover, sir, but When might you visit me? |
Anonymous
On crickets
蟋蟀之 待歓 秋夜乎 寐験無 枕与吾者
こほろぎの まちよろこぶる あきのよを ぬるしるしなし まくらとわれは
koporogi no matiyorokoburu aki no yo wo nuru sirusi nasi makura to ware pa | The crickets Await with pleasure An autumn night— No point in sleeping then For me and my pillow both… |
Anonymous
Composed on crickets
庭草尓 村雨落而 蟋蟀之 鳴音聞者 秋付尓家里
にはくさに むらさめふりて こほろぎの なくこゑきけば あきづきにけり
nipa kusa ni murasame purite koporogi no naku kowe kikeba akidukinikeri | Upon my garden’s grasses A cloudburst falls, and When the crickets’ Cries I hear, How like autumn it is! |
Anonymous
Composed on crickets.
影草乃 生有屋外之 暮陰尓 鳴蟋蟀者 雖聞不足可聞
かげくさの おひたるやどの ゆふかげに なくこほろぎは きけどあかぬかも
kagekusa no opitaru yado no yupukage ni naku koporogi pa kikedo akanu kamo | Shading grasses Grow at my house and In the evening light The crying crickets I hear, yet never am fulfilled! |
Anonymous
Composed on crickets.
秋風之 寒吹奈倍 吾屋前之 浅茅之本尓 蟋蟀鳴毛
あきかぜの さむくふくなへ わがやどの あさぢがもとに こほろぎなくも
akikaze no samuku puku nape wa ga yado no asadimoto ni koporogi naku mo | The autumn wind Blows chill, as At my home, From the roots of cogon grass The crickets cry… |
Anonymous
A poem on crickets by Prince Yuhara.
暮月夜 心毛思努尓 白露乃 置此庭尓 蟋蟀鳴毛
ゆふづくよ こころもしのに しらつゆの おくこのにはに こほろぎなくも
yupu duku yo kokoro mo sino ni siratuyu no oku kono nipa ni koporogi naku mo | The evening moon Does wrench my heart, as Silver dewdrops Fall upon the grounds and The crickets cry… |
Left
かくをしむあきにしあはばをみなへしうつろふことはわすれやはせぬ
kaku oshimu aki ni shi awaba ominaeshi utsurou koto wa wasure ya wa senu | If feeling such regret I should encounter autumn, then O, maidenflower, To fade You should not forget, should you? |
11
Right
ながきよにたれたのめけむをみなへしひとまつむしのえだごとになく
nagaki yo ni tare tanomekemu ominaeshi hito matsumushi no edagoto ni naku | On a long, long night Who is it has made you believe, O, maidenflower? Pining for him while crickets Cry from your every branch… |
12[1]
[1] Shinsen man’yōshū 536; Fubokushō 4231
Left
あき風にほころびぬらむ藤ばかまつづりさせてふきりぎりす鳴く
akikaze ni hokorobinuramu fujibakama tsuzurisase chō kirigirisu naku | The autumn wind Seems to have burst the buds of The asters ‘Sew them back together!’ say The crickets’ cries. |
Ariwara no Muneyana
94
Right
秋の夜のあめときこえて降りつるは風に散りつる紅葉なりけり
aki no yo no ame to kikoete furitsuru wa kaze ni chiritsuru momiji narikeri | On an autumn night The sound of rain Falling is The wind scattered Scarlet leaves. |
95
Topic unknown.
あき風のふきくるよひはきりぎりす草のねごとにこゑみだれけり[1]
akikaze no fukikuru yoi wa kirigirisu kusa no ne goto ni koe midarekeri | The autumn wind Comes gusting late at night, when The crickets From every single blade of grass Let out confused cries. |
Anonymous
[1] This poem appears in the ‘Poetry Contest held at Prince Koresada’s House’ (Koresada shinnō-ke uta’awase (42).
'Simply moving and elegant'