Wisteria blooming by a river bank
Left
さだめなく吹く風なれば池水のきしをめぐりてよする藤なみ
sadamenaku
fuku kaze nareba
ikemizu no
kishi o megurite
yosuru Fujinami | Inconstant is
The gusting wind, so
By the pondwater’s
Bank and all along it
Break wisteria waves… |
Fujiwara no Munenari
11
Right
藤なみのかからぬ岸のなければやこぎくる舟のよるひまのなき
fujinami no
kakaranu kishi no
nakereba ya
kogikuru fune no
yoru hima no naki | Untouched by wisteria waves
Such a bank
Is there not one?
Come rowing, the boats
Have not a moment to make shore. |
Lesser Superintendant Fujiwara no Sadamitsu
12
Seafolk 泉郎
かのきしにわたりつきぬるあまを舟いかにのりえてうれしかるらん
kano kishi ni
wataritsukinuru
ama o fune
ika ni noriete
ureshikaruran | To yonder shore
Have crossed
The fisher-folk; their boats—
How might I board them, and
Feel the selfsame joy? |
Higo
Love Waiting for Someone 待人恋
すみよしの松とは人のしらねばやなみうちたえてきしもせざらん
sumiyoshi no
matsu to wa hito no
shiraneba ya
nami uchitaete
kishi mo sezaran | At Sumiyoshi are
The pines of folk
All unknowing?
The waves have stopped, and
Even the shore seems untouched. |
Tadafusa
A poem from the Empress’ Poetry Competition held in the Kanpyō period.
住の江の岸による浪夜さへや夢の通ひ路人目よくらむ
suminoe no
kisi ni yoru nami
yoru saFe ya
yume no kayoFidi
Fitome yokuramu |
As to Suminoe’s
Shore rush the waves
Why every night
Upon the path of dreams
Do I hide from other’s eyes? |
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
藤原敏行
Composed at the River Ōi.
水もなくみえこそわたれ大井河岸の紅葉は雨とふれども
midu mo naku
mie koso watare
oFowigaFa
kisi no momidi Fa
ame to Furedomo |
No water
To be seen around at
The River Ōi
Yet on the banks the scarlet leave
Do fall as rain… |
Fujiwara no Sadayori
藤原定頼
Two poems composed by Naga no imiki Okimaro, grieving at the sight of the bound pine.
磐代の岸の松が枝結びけむ人は帰りてまた見けむかも
ipasiro no
kisi no matu ga e
musubikemu
pito pa kaperite
mata mikemu kamo |
On Iwashiro’s
Shore, a pine’s branches
It seems he tied –
I wonder, will he return
And see them once more… |
Naga no Okimaro
長意吉麻呂
住吉の岸野の榛ににほふれどにほはぬ我れやにほひて居らむ
suminoe no
kishino no hari ni
niouredo
niohanu ware ya
nioiteoramu |
At Sumiyoshi, with
Alder growing on the banks
Is all dyed, yet
Will I, as yet unmarked,
Paint him with colour? |
竜田川岸の山吹咲きぬれば影より波ぞ折りはじめける
tatsutagawa
kishi no yamabuki
sakinureba
kage yori nami zo
orihajimekeru |
On Tatsuta River’s
Bank, the kerria
Has bloomed, so
From its face
Waves have begun to weave… |
Tsunemasa
経正
Upon meeting with Imperial Princess Shishi of the First Order (955-1015), they talked of times past and she composed:
袖にさへ秋のゆふべはしられけりきえしあさぢがつゆをかけつゝ
sode ni sae
aki no yûbe wa
shirarekeri
kieshi asaji ga
tsuyu wo kaketsutsu |
Even upon our sleeves
Does the autumn evening
Reveal itself;
The thatch, now gone,
Is ever dew-drenched. |
Imperial Consort, Princess Kishi (929-985)
'Simply moving and elegant'