Composed on the conception of the moon over the water, at the residence of Supernumerary Middle Councillor Toshitada at Katsura.
あすも来む野路の玉川萩こえて色なる浪に月やどりけり
asu mo komu
nodi no tamakaFa
Fagi koete
ironaru nami ni
tuki yadorikeri
The morning comes, too,
To Noji’s jewelled river;
Over-running the bush-clover are
Motley waves where
The moon does lodge.
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
Oaks 柞
はぐくみし木ずゑさびしく成りぬらん柞のもりのちり行くみれば
hagukumishi kozue sabishiku narinuramu hahaso no mori no chiriyuku mireba Carefully raised The treetops lonely Do seem to have become; When the oak groves Scatter in my sight…
Toshiyori 源俊頼
五月来ば信太の杜の時鳥木伝ふ千枝の数ごとに鳴け
satsuki koba
shinoda no mori no
hototogisu
ko tsutau chie no
kazugoto ni nake
When the summer comes,
In Shinoda’s sacred grove
Cuckoos
Annouce the tree’s thousand branches
With a song for every one!
Minamoto no Shunrai
Composed on the conception of love that is unrequited despite one’s prayers, when composing ten poems on love at the residence of Supernumerary Middle Councillor Toshitada.
うかりける人を初瀬の山颪よはけしかれとはいのらぬものを
ukarikeru
Fito wo Fatuse no
yama’orosi
yo Fagesikare to Fa
inoranu mono wo
A heartless
Woman is as Hatsuse’s
Mountain winds,
Raging in the night, they say, and
As unmoved by prayer…
Minamoto no Shunrai
夕顔の茂みにすだく轡虫おびただしくも恋ひ叫ぶかな
yuFugaFo no
sigemi ni sudaku
kutuFamusi
obitadasiku mo
koFisakebu kana
Among the moonflowers’
Lushness swarm
Crickets
In their extremity
Crying out for love!
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
Fans (扇)
神神に心ながさをちかふともききひらきてぞあふぎなるへき
kamigami ni
kokoro nagasa o
chikau tomo
kiki hirakite zo
ōgi narubeki
To all the Gods
An ever-faithful heart
I pledge, yet
For all the attention they give,
A fan I might as well be!
Toshiyori
Cicadas (蟬)
うつせみのいでがたくても過すかないかでこの世に跡をとどめん
utsusemi no idegatakute mo sugusu kana ikade kono yo ni ato o todomen A cicada shell Is hard to reveal, yet Endures; Somehow within this world A trace will remain…
Toshiyori
Summer Garb (夏衣)
夏ごともいみがみけしのあやなれやうらなきさへぞ下にきまうき
natsugoromo
imo ga mikeshi no
ayanare ya
uranaki sae zo
shita ni kimauki
Summer garb:
My darling’s raiment
Has such a pattern to it!
There is no underside at all,
For her to wear beneath!
Minamoto no Shunrai
夏の夜はにはかに照らす稲妻の光の間にも明けぬべらなり
natu no yo Fa
niFakani terasu
inaduma no
Fikari no ma ni mo
akenuberanari
On summer nights
A brief flash
Of lightning:
And as it shines
The dawn can break!
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
衣手もやや肌寒し夏の夜の月の光は秋の空かは
koromode mo
yaya Fadasamusi
natu no yo no
tuki no Fikari Fa
aki no sora ka Fa
Even my sleeves
Are slightly chill;
On a summer night
The moon’s light
Recollects the autumn sky…
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
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'Simply moving and elegant'