Left
あきののをみなへし るともささわけにぬれにしそでやはなとみゆらむ
aki no no o mina heshi ru to mo sasa wake ni nurenishi sode ya hana to miyuramu Through the autumn meadows Everyone knows to pass, yet Forging through the dwarf bamboo Will my sleeves, so drenched, Appear as the flowers do?[1]
3
Right
をみなへしあきののかぜにうちなびきこころひとつをたれによすらん
ominaeshi aki no nokaze ni uchinabiki kokoro hitotsu o tare ni yosuran The maidenflower, With a breeze across the autumn fields, Waves back and forth; Having but a single heart, To whom does she incline, I wonder?
The Minister of the Left[2] 4[3]
[1] This poem is an acrostic, where the syllables of the word ‘maidenflower’ (ominaeshi ) are included as part of other words in the poem. It is thus understood that the final reference to ‘flowers’ (hana 花) is to these.
[2] Fujiwara no Tokihira 藤原時平 (871-909).
[3] Kokinshū IV: 230; Shinsen man’yōshū 532; Kokin rokujō 3660
玉さかに相坂山の真葛原まだうらわかし恨みはてじな
tamasaka ni aisakayama no makuzuwara mada urawakashi uramihateji na By chance, On Aisaka Mountain The fields of arrowroot are Still so young— O, do not end up despising them!
Lady Tsu, in service to the Former Kamo Virgin 33
In reply.
夏山の下はふくずのうらわかみまだきに露の心おくらん
natsuyama no shita hau kuzu no urawakami madaki ni tsuyu no kokoro okuran On the summer mountains The arrowroot, creeping beneath, Seems so young that Swiftly will the dewdrops Fall upon its heart.
The Minister of Justice 34
Two poems by Yamanoue no Okura, composed on the flowers of the autumn fields.
秋の野に咲きたる花を指折りかき数ふれば七草の花
aki no no ni sakitaru pana wo oyobi ori kakikazopureba nanakusa no pana In the autumn fields Blooming are the flowers: On my fingers I do count them out, and Seven plants have blooms.
Yamanoue no Okura
わびひとのとしふるさとはあきのののむしのやどりのなるぞわびしき[1]
wabibito no toshi furu sato wa aki no no no mushi no yadori no naru zo wabishiki For one sunk in sadness In an ancient dwelling Among the autumn fields, where The insects take their lodging, Their cries are more heartbreaking.
23
あきのよのつゆをばつゆとおきながらかりのなみだやのべをそむらん[2]
aki no yo no tsuyu oba tsuyu to okinagara kari no namida ya nobe o somuramu On Autumn nights The dew as dewdrops Falls, but, Perhaps goose tears Stain the fields?
24
[1] This poems also appears in Fubokushō (5579), where it is attributed to Ariwara no Motokata
[2] This poem also appears in Kokinshū (V: 258 ) and Kokin rokujō (584). In both collections it is attributed to Mibu no Tadamine.
A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō emperor.
春霞たなびく野べの若菜にもなり見てし哉人も摘むやと
Farugasumi tanabiku nobe no wakana ni mo narimitesigana Fito mo tumu ya to Spring haze Drifting through the fields over The new herbs I would become— For then she might pick me, perhaps…
Fujiwara no Okikaze
Fields Left
いつしかもゆきてはやみむあきのののはなのしたひもとけはてぬらん
itsu shika mo yukite wa yamimu aki no no no hana no shitahimo tokehatenuran Swiftly Shall I halt my travels In an autumn meadow; A blossom’s underbelt Seems completely undone.
Korenari 5
Right (Win)
かりにとやいもはまつらんあきのののはなみるほどはいへぢわすれぬ
kari ni to ya imo wa matsuran aki no no no hana miru hodo wa ieji wasurenu Is it but briefly that My sweetheart should wait? In an autumn meadow While gazing at the flowers The way home I have quite forgot!
Nagayoshi 6
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
A poem composed by Princess Tajima, when she was staying at the palace of Prince Takechi, and thinking fondly of Prince Hozumi.
秋の田の穂向きの寄れる片寄りに君に寄りなな言痛くありとも
aki no ta no po mukiyoreru katayori ni kimi ni yori na na kotitaku ari to mo In the autumn fields The ripened ears incline Toward me all together; Just as I would beckon you, my love, Heedless of stinging rumours…
Princess Tajima ( -708) 但馬皇女
Kindling 薪
こりつみしほだなかりせば冬ふかきかた山ほらにいかですままし
koritsumishi hoda nakariseba fuyu fukaki katayama hora ni ikade sumamashi Felled Fields were there none, then Why, in the depths of winter In a mountain cave Would any wish to dwell?
Tadafusa
Left
けふも猶雪はふりつつ春霞たてるやいづこ若菜つみてむ
kyō mo nao
yuki wa furitsutsu
harugasumi
tateru ya izuko
wakana tsumitemu
Still yet, today
Is the snow falling;
O, spring haze
Where do you arise?
For I would go and pluck fresh herbs!
3
In no hyakushu, shodo, Eighth Month Shōji 2 [September 1200]
Right
朝氷たがため分て此川のむかへの野べに若菜つむらん
asagōri
ta ga tame wakete
kono kawa no
mukae no nobe ni
wakana tsumuran
This film of morning ice:
For who’s sake do I break it?
On this river’s
Yonder side within the fields
Would I pluck fresh herbs…
4
Naidaijinke hyakushu , Ninth Month Kenpō 3 [October 1215]
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