Composed in despite of a man.
あしかれと思はぬ山の峰にだにおふなる物を人の歎きは
| asi kare to omoFanu yama no mine ni dani oFu naru mono wo Fito no nageki Fa |
‘Go and cut reeds!’ I will not think it-on that mountain Peak all that Grows is Sadness, yet I… |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
When a man, whom she had been seeing secretly, said that the rustle of clothing was annoying, and moved them out of the way, she composed:
音せぬは苦しきものを身に近くなるとて厭ふ人もありけり
| woto senu Fa kurusiki mono wo mi ni tikaku naru tote itoFu Fito mo arikeri |
To make no sound at all (without a man) Is hurtful, yet To draw near And say, ‘It’s noisy!’-a disagreeable Man must be around! |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
When, around the Eighth Month, a man whom she had been conversing with said that ‘his sleeves were wet with dew’, she composed this in reply.
秋は皆思ふことなきおぎの葉も末たわむまで露はおきけり
| aki Fa mina mono’omoFu koto naki ogi no Fa mo suwe tawamu made tuyu Fa okikeri |
In Autumn, Unwracked by cares The reed fronds too Hang heavy at the tips With dewfall upon them. |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
When she was abandoned by Yasumasa, she composed this in response to an enquiry by [Fujiwara no] Kanefusa.
人しれず物思ふことはならひにき花に別れぬ春しなければ
| Fito sirezu mono’omofu koto Fa naraFiniki Fana ni wakarenu Faru si nakereba |
Out of his thoughts In desolation- I am used to it now; Never parting from the blooms- There’s no such Spring, at all. |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
A man who she had been seeing in secret-what can he have been thinking?-returned home after it was light on the morning of the Fifth Day of the Fifth Month, saying, ‘This morning, I am happy to show myself!’; she composed this in reply.
菖蒲草かりにもくらむものゆへにねやの妻とや人の見る覽
| ayamegusa kari ni mo kuramu mono yuFe ni neya no tuma to ya Fito no miruran |
Sweet flags To pick-and as briefly have you been here- But even so, Within lies your wife-as you open the shutters– Is that what folk will see? |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
Composed to say they both had reason to be careful, when a man was disappointed that they could not meet easily.
己が身のおのが心に叶はぬを思はゞものは思ひしりなむ
| wono ga mi no ono ga kokoro ni kanaFanu wo omoFaba mono Fa omoFi sirinamu |
Within your breast Lies your desire: That it has not been met, If you would think, the reason You know well enough! |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部
Composed when a man from the same place stopped writing to her completely.
幾返りつらしと人をみ熊野の恨めしながら戀しかるらむ
| iku kaFeri turasi to Fito wo mikumano no uramesinagara koFisikaruramu |
Time and time again Of his cruelty I’ve thought, yet Seeing him-as across Mikumano Bay – I hate him, but I love him, too, it seems. |
Izumi Shikibu
和泉式部