郭公きけどもあかずたちばなの花ちる里の五月雨のころ
hototogisu kikedomo akazu tachibana no hana chiru sato no samidare no koro | The cuckoo I hear, yet am never sated, when Orange Blossom scatters round my estate In the summer rain… |
みな人のなをしもよぶか郭公鳴くなるこゑのさとをとよむる
minahito no na o shimo yobu ka hototogisu naku naru koe no sato o toyomuru | Is very person’s Name he calling? The cuckoo’s Calling cries Echo round the estate! |
さ月やま木だかき峰の時鳥たそかれ時の空に鳴くなり
satsuki yama kodakaki mine no hototogisu tasogaredoki no sora ni naku nari | In the Fifth Month mountains From the trees upon the high peaks A cuckoo At the edge of twilight Sings into the skies. |
かづらきやたかまのやまの時鳥雲ゐのよそに鳴きわたるなり
kazuragi ya takama no yama no hototogisu kumoi no yoso ni nakiwataru nari | In Kazuragi Upon Takama Mountain A cuckoo From within the distant clouds Calls out! |
五月雨の雲のかかれるまきもくのひばらが峰になくほととぎす
samidare no kumo no kakareru makimoku no hibara ga mine ni naku hototogisu | Summer rain Clouds hang over Makimoku Peak where from the cypress groves A cuckoo calls. |
五月雨の露もまだひぬ奥山のまきのはがくれなくほととぎす
samidare no tsuyu mo mada hinu okuyama no maki no hagakure naku hototogisu | The summer rain’s Dewy droplets have yet to dry Deep within the mountains, where Hidden ‘mongst the evergreen leaves A cuckoo calls out. |
さみだれによの深けゆけばほととぎすひとり山辺を鳴きて過ぐなり
samidare ni yo no fukeyukeba hototogisu hitori yamabe o nakitesugu nari | In the summer rain, As the night fall on, A cuckoo All alone from the mountainside Does call, passing by. |
有明の月は入りぬる木の間よりやまほととぎすなきていづなり
ariake no tsuki wa irinuru ko no ma yori yamahototogisu nakite’izu nari | At the dawn The moon is setting Between the trees A mountain cuckoo Calls out. |
あし曳のやまほととぎすみ山いでてよぶかき月のかげになくなり
ashihiki no yama hototogisu miyama idete yobukaki tsuki no kage ni naku nari | Leg-wearying The mountain cuckoo Emerges from the mountains’ heart and, Deep within the night the moon’s Light shines upon his song! |
From among my cuckoo poems.
足曳の山ほととぎすこがくれてめにこそみえね音のさやけき
ashihiki no yama hototogisu kogakurete me ni koso miene ne no sayakeki | Leg-wearying, The mountain cuckoo Hides among the trees Not an eye can see him, but His song sounds so clear! |
'Simply moving and elegant'