[One of] Two poems composed at the South Shrine in Minu in spring – sakaki.
をとめごがとるかみがきのさか木葉とやとせつばきはいづれ久しき
otomego ga
toru kamigaki no
sakakiba to
yatose tsubaki wa
izure hisashiki | Maidens
Take from the sacred fence
Leaves of sakaki and
Many-years camellia:
Which is older, I wonder? |
Nōin
つらしともいざやいかがはいはし水あふせまだきにたゆる心は
tsurashi to mo
iza ya ikaga wa
iwashimizu
ause madaki ni
tayuru kokoro wa | How cruel!
Why as
Spring waters rushing from the rocks did
Our meeting swiftly
Did you wish to end? |
Kazusa, in service to the Empress
23
In reply
世世ふともたえじとぞ思ふ神がきの岩ねをくぐる水の心は
yo yo futomo
taeji to zo omou
kamigaki no
iwane o kuguru
mizu no kokoro wa | Age upon age may pass, yet
Never shall we end, I feel, as from
The sacred precinct’s
Rocky roots flow
Waters—that is my heart! |
24
Shrines 社
神がきやみむろの山の木がくれにも見えまがはぬはあけの玉がき
kamigaki ya
mimuro no yama no
kogakure ni mo
miemagawanu wa
ake no tamagaki | O, sacred wall!
Upon Mimuro Mountain,
Even hidden amongst the trees,
Unmistakable is
The holy scarlet fence! |
Tadafusa
'Simply moving and elegant'