During the Tenryaku era, when people had gathered at Ise’s house, to say that she was coming.
時雨つゝふりにし宿の言の葉は掻集むれど止らざりけり
| siguretutu Furinisi yado no koto no Fa Fa kakiatumuredo tomarazarikeri |
Ever does the drizzle Fall at my home – My leaves of words I sweep all together, but Never does it end. |
Nakatsukasa (?912-?991)
中務
Left.
心あひの風いづかたへ吹かぬらん我には散らす言の葉もなし
| kokoro ai no kaze izukata e fukanuran ware ni wa chirasu koto no ha mo nashi |
This pleasant Breeze: whither Does it blow? To me not one scattered Leaf or word has it delivered. |
Kenshō.
929
Right (Win).
色に出し言の葉もみなかれはてゝ涙を散らす風の音哉
| iro ni idashi koto no ha mo mina karehatete namida o chirasu kaze no oto kana |
The bright hues of passion In these leaves and your words Have all withered away; Tears scattering with The sound of the wind… |
Lord Takanobu.
930
The Right state: ‘Breeze: whither’ (kaze izukata e) seems lacking. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to indicate.
In judgement: in the Left’s poem, I wonder whether ‘breeze: wither’ really is lacking. ‘This pleasant’ (kokoro no ai) would seem to be an expression deriving from ‘At the head of the road’. I seem to recall it coming after ‘In Kofu in Takefu / Will I be’, but that is not a suitable source. The Right’s poem, as the Gentlemen of the Left have said, appears to have no faults. It should win.
Composed on seeming like the cool of an autumn evening at Lord Toshitsuna’s house.
夏山の楢の葉そよぐ夕暮はことしも秋の心地こそすれ
| natuyama no nara no Fa soyogu yuFugure Fa kotosi mo aki no kokoti koso sure |
In the summer mountains The oak leaves whisper softly With the evening: This year, too, autumn Feels upon me… |
Minamoto no Yoritsuna (1025-1097)
源頼綱
A poem composed in winter in the Eleventh Month, by His Majesty, when the Major Controller of the Left, Prince Kazuragi, and others, were granted the name Tachibana.
橘は実さへ花さへその葉さへ枝に霜降れどいや常葉の木
| tatibana pa mi sape pana sape sono pa sape e ni simo puredo iya toko pa no ki |
O, orange tree: Fruit and flowers both, And leaves, too, Even should frost fall on your branches Evegreen will you be! |
The above poem was composed in winter, on the 9th day of the Eleventh Month, after Prince Kazuragi, Junior Third Rank, and Prince Sai, Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade, among others, surrendered their membership of the imperial family and were granted the name of Tachibana. At that time Former Emperor [Genshō], the Emperor [Shōmu], and Empress [Kōmyō], were present in the Empress’ quarters, and hosted a banquet at which poems celebrating the name of Tachibana were composed, and sake was presented to the new members of the family. It is alternatively said, ‘This poem was composed by the Former Emperor. In addition, the Emperor and the Empress each composed a single poem. Those poems were lost and cannot now be located.’ If one seeks copies of the documents now, they say that on the 9th day of the Eleventh Month [Tenpyō] 8 [736], Prince Kazuragi and other submitted a request to the throne to be granted the name of Tachibana. On the 17th day the request was granted.
Composed in the conception of Autumn leaves falling on a barrier road at the courtiers’ poetry competition in the hall of the Hōshu-ji in the Second Year of Kaō (1170).
都にはまだ靑葉にて見しかどももみぢちり志く白川の關
| miyako ni Fa mada awoba nite misikadomo momidi tirisiku sirakaFa no seki |
TIn the capital, There still were leaves of green Upon which to turn my gaze, yet Scattered scarlet leaves cover The barrier at Shirakawa. |
Former Provisional Master of the Right Capital Office [Minamoto no] Yorimasa
源頼政