すずむしのこゑにぞあかぬたまさかにゆきあふよひのかげをまつにも
suzumushi no koe ni zo akanu tamasaka ni yukiau yoi no kage o matsu ni mo | Of the bell crickets’ Song, I never tire— Even when a rare Night’s coming together In moonlight I do await… |
Lady Jijū
すずむしのこゑにぞあかぬたまさかにゆきあふよひのかげをまつにも
suzumushi no koe ni zo akanu tamasaka ni yukiau yoi no kage o matsu ni mo | Of the bell crickets’ Song, I never tire— Even when a rare Night’s coming together In moonlight I do await… |
Lady Jijū
On the tenth day of the Eighth Month, Kanna 1,[1] His Majesty[2] entered the Courtiers’ Hall briefly and divided the gentlemen in attendance into teams for a poetry contest. His Majesty’s partner was Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Kintō, and he provided of the four topics. Judgements were by Koreshige.
Moon
Left (Win)
あきのよのつきにこころはあくがれてくもゐにものをおもふころかな
aki no yo no tsuki ni kokoro wa akugarete kumoi ni mono o omou koro kana | On an autumn night By the moon is my heart Entranced; Things beyond the clouds Fill my thoughts a while! |
His Majesty
1
Right
いつもみるつきぞとおもへどあきのよはいかなるかげをそふるなるらん
itsumo miru tsuki zo to omoe aki no yo wa ikanaru kage o souru naruran | Every time I see The moon it fills my thoughts, but On an autumn night What light is it that Does seem to cover all? |
Lord Kintō
2
[1] 28.8.985
[2] Emperor Kazan 花山 (968-1008; r. 984-986).
Old Folk 老人
あさなあさなみれどむかしのかげならで日にそへおいのますかがみかな
asana asana miredo mukashi no kage narade hi ni soe oi no masukagami kana | Each morn I look, yet yesterday’s Face fails to appear, and With each passing day, old age Is clear within my mirror! |
Tadafusa
Ancient Estates 故郷
さほどののさかゆるみればかげふれて古郷とこそおぼえざりけれ
saodono no sakayuru mireba kage furete furusato to koso oboezarikere | When Sao Hall I shining see, As the shadows fall That it is an ancient estate I do not feel at all… |
Kanemasa
すべらぎのながゐの池は水すみてのどかにちよのかげぞ見えける
suberagi no nagai no ike wa mizu sumite nodoka ni chiyo no kage zo miekeru | Our Sovereign’s Nagai Pond has Water so clear, that In peaceful calm a thousand generations Shape is revealed. |
Higo
Ponds 池
汀にはたちもよられぬ山がつのかげはづかしき清住のいけ
migiwa ni wa tachi mo yorarenu yamagatsu no kage hazukashiki kiyozumi no ike | The water’s edge is Unapproachable for The mountain man’s Shadow, feeling unworthy at A pond of pure water. |
Akinaka
Hotsprings 出湯
ましららのはまの走湯うらさびていまはみゆきのかげもうつらず
mashirara no hama no hashiriyu urasabite ima wa miyuki no kage mo utsurazu | At fair Shirara Strand the gushing hotsprings Are downcast, for Now, of an imperial visit Not even a trace shines forth… |
Nakazane
Mandarin Ducks 鴛鴦
夜とともにおもふことなきをし鳥やかげとならびの池にすむらん
yo to tomo ni omou koto naki oshidori ya kage to narabi no ike ni sumuran | With night’s fall Heedlessly Does the mandarin Together with his reflection Seek to dwell upon the pond? |
Daishin
Mandarin Ducks 鴛鴦
みさびゐぬかがみの池にすむをしはみづからかげをならべてぞみる
misabi inu kagami no ike ni sumu oshi wa mizukara kage o narabete zo miru | A rust-red stained Mirror is the pond where Dwells a mandarin: His own water-borne reflection Does he match and gaze upon… |
Higo
Mandarin Ducks 鴛鴦
山河にともなきをしはかげをみてひとつがひある心ちすらしも
yamakawa ni tomonaki oshi wa kage o mite hitotsugai aru kokochi sura shimo | In a mountain stream A mateless mandarin does See a shape and A pair Even he feels himself to be! |
Kanemasa