Scarlet lotus flowers floating on marsh water (緑沼紅蓮浮)
Left (Win)
みどりぬにうきたるはちすくれなゐにみづにごるなり波たつなゆめ
midorinu ni
ukitaru hatisu
kurenawi ni
midu nigorunari
nami tatu na yume | Upon the green marsh
Floats a lotus
Its scarlet
Stains the waters –
O, rise not, you waves! |
6
Right
紅のはちすうきたるみどりぬにしら波たてばこきまぜの花
kurenawi no
Fatisu ukitaru
midorinu ni
siranami tateba
kokimaze no Fana | Scarlet,
The lotus floats upon
The green marsh, but
When the whitecaps rise
All jumbled will the flowers be… |
7[1]
[1]These poems are included in Fubokushō (XXIV: 11386) and (XXIV: 11387).
Composed when deep in thought.
紅の八しほの衣朝な朝な馴れはすれどもいやめづらしも
kurenawi no
yasipo no koromo
asana asana
nare pa suredomo
iya medurasi mo | In safflower
Dipped many times, my robe
Worn morn after morn
Has familiar wrinkles, yet
Is all the more dear for that… |
Kurenai
Kurenai
Love Closely Nearby.
紅の裾引くほどの宿なれど色にいでなば人に知られじ
kurenawi no
suso Fiku Fodo no
yado naredo
iro ni idenaba
Fito ni shirarezi | Her scarlet
Hem could I tug upon, so close
Do we dwell, yet
If my passion’s hues were to show,
I would folk did never know… |
Fujiwara no Kiyosuke (1104-1177)
藤原清輔
紅はうつろふものぞ橡のなれにし来ぬになほしかめやも
kurenawi wa
uturopu mono zo
turubami no
narenisi konu ni
napo sikame ya mo |
Scarlet is
A hue that fades!
Oak-dyed
Well-worn garb is
More appropriate, don’t you think? |
The poems above were composed on the 5th day of the Fifth Month by the Governor, Ōtomo sukune Yakamochi.
Composed for the Poetry Competition held at the Residence of Middle Councillor Toshitada.
くれなゐの濃染の衣うへにきむこひのなみたの色かくるやと
kurenawi no
kosome no koromo
uFe ni kimu
koFi no namida no
iro kakuru ya to |
In scarlet
Deeply dyed, a robe
Would I put on
That my tears of love’s
Hue be concealed! |
Fujiwara no Akitsuna
藤原顕綱
A poem composed on the banks of the Ogami, in the district of Tonami.
雄神川紅にほふ娘子らし葦付[水松之類]取ると瀬に立たすらし
ogamigapa
kurenawi nipopu
wotome rasi
asituki toru to
se ni tatasurasi | Upon the River Ogami
Glowing safflower scarlet
Do the maidens seem;
Harvesting ashitsuki
Standing in the shallows… |
Ōtomo no Yakamochi
大伴家持
'Simply moving and elegant'