Tag Archives: godless month

SKS IX: 324

When she had something on her mind and was unable to sleep, she sat awake all night gazing at the bright moon until dawn, and composed this when her garden became slightly darkened by a shower.

神無月あり明の空のしぐるるを又われならぬ人やみるらん

kaminaduki
ariake no sora no
sigururu wo
mata ware naranu
Fito ya miruran
In the Godless Month
The sky at dawn is
Covered with showers—
Other than I,
I wonder if he sees it, too?

Akazome Emon

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

Sahyōe no suke sadafumi uta’awase 9

The Beginning of Winter

Left (Tie)

しものうへにふるはつゆきのあさごほりとけむほどこそひさしかりけれ

shimo no ue ni
furu hatsuyuki no
asagōri
tokemu hodo koso
hisashikarikeri
Upon the frost
Falls first snow turning
To ice with the morning;
The time ‘twill take to melt
Will be long, indeed.

17

Right

かみなづきもみぢのいろはふくかぜとたにのみづとぞおとしはてつる

kaminazuki
momiji no iro wa
fuku kaze to
tani no mizu to zo
otoshihatetsuru
In the Godless Month
The scarlet leaves’ hue
With the gusting wind, and
The waters in the valley, do
Drop completely.

Mitsune
18

SKKS VI: 574

From the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the Reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.

神無月しぐれふるらしさほ山のまさきのかづら色まさり行く

kaminazuki
shigure fururashi
saoyama no
masaki no kazura
iro masarikeri
In the Godless Month
Showers fall, it seems, for
On Sao Mountain
The evergreen arrowroot’s
Hues are fine, indeed.

Anonymous

Shiki koi sanshu uta’awase – Winter

Winter

Left

冬くれば紅葉ふりしく神無月佐保の山辺はむべもりぬらん

fuyu kureba
momiji furishiku
kaminazuki
saho no yamabe wa
mube morinuran
When the winter comes,
Scarlet leaves, falling and scattering
In the Godless Month,
Upon the slopes of Mount Saho,
Indeed, are at their finest.

19

冬ごもりかれてみゆらん梅がえは今はた花の春はにほはん

fuyugomori
karete miyuran
ume ga e wa
ima hata hana no
haru wa niowan
Sealed in winter, and
All withered seeming,
The plum tree’s branches,
Now, for sure, the blossoms’
Spring will scent.

20

冬みれば水もまかせぬ小山田にいつすき返し種をまきけん

fuyu mireba
mizu mo makasenu
oyamada ni
itsu sukikaeshi
tane o makiken
‘Tis winter, I see, so
There’s no water to draw for
The little mountain paddies:
O, when might I till them, and
Sow my seeds, I wonder?

21

Right

時雨降る宿にすまへば冬の夜に錦とみゆる木木の花かな

shigure furu
yado ni sumaeba
fuyu no yo ni
nishiki to miyuru
kigi no hana kana
Showers fall
Upon the house where I do dwell, so
Upon a winter’s night
As brocade do seem
The blossoming trees!

22

ゆふだすき神の社にかけつればしもし降るにもたのもしきかな

yūdasuki
kami no yashiro ni
kaketsureba
shimo shi furu ni mo
tanomashiki kana
Sacred mulberry cords
Around the God’s shrine
Are hung, so
Even amidst the frost fall,
The future does seem bright!

23

白雲のふたへふりしくときは山うらはへとしはみどりなりけれ

shiragumo no
futae furishiku
tokiwa yama
ura hae toshi wa
midori narikere
Clouds of white
Lie scattered, twofold, upon
The unchanging mountain:
Stretching out behind, the year
Is simply green.

24

KKS XVIII: 997

During the Chōgan Era, when His Majesty enquired when the Man’yōshū was created, he composed this and presented it.

神無月時雨ふりをけるならの葉の名におふ宮の古ごとぞこれ

kaminaduki
sigure Furiwokeru
nara no Fa no
na ni oFu miya no
Furugoto zo kore
In the Godless Month
Drizzle falls upon
The leaves of Nara oak!
The palace bearing that name
Produced these ancient words!

Fun’ya no Arisue
文屋有季