Boats 船
水あさみ川せの波はたつものをくだすう舟のみつや何なる
mizu asami kawase no nami wa tatsu mono o kudasu ubune no mitsu ya ika naru | How shallow the waters in The river rapids where waves Arise – What will become of the cormorant boats, sailing down If they be full? |
Tadafusa
Waterweed 萍
世の中は水のうへなるうき草のうきにたへたる身をいかにせん
yo no naka wa mizu no uenaru ukikusa no uki ni taetaru mi o ikani sen | In this mundane world Atop the waters lies A waterweed – In endless misery, O, what am I to do? |
Higo
Waterweed 萍
水の上によるべさだめぬうき草のよそへられぬる我が身なりけり
mizu no ue ni yorube sadamenu ukikusa no yosoerarenuru wa ga mi narikeri | Upon the water, With no hope of haven, A waterweed is How I imagine Myself to be. |
Nakazane
Temples 寺
谷ふかみ跡だに見えぬ山寺はかけひの水のゆくにてぞ知る
tani fukami ato dani mienu yamadera wa kakehi no mizu no yuku nite zo shiru | Deep within the valley No tracks lead to This mountain temple: Water through the culverts’ Passing reveals it. |
Akinaka
すべらぎのながゐの池は水すみてのどかにちよのかげぞ見えける
suberagi no nagai no ike wa mizu sumite nodoka ni chiyo no kage zo miekeru | Our Sovereign’s Nagai Pond has Water so clear, that In peaceful calm a thousand generations Shape is revealed. |
Higo
Waterfalls 滝
谷川やおちくる滝のしらいとを水のあやには織るにやあるらん
tanikawa ya ochikuru taki no shira’ito o mizu no aya ni wa oru ni ya aruran | From a stream within the valley Comes tumbling a cataract of White threads: A motley pattern of water Do they seem to weave? |
Daishin
Stones 石
いかにして水の下なるさざれ石のなかのおもひのきえせざるらん
ika ni shite mizu no shita naru sazare’ishi no naka no omoi no kiezaruran | O, what am I to do? Beneath the waters Pebbles lie, as many as My passionate thoughts within That show no signs of fading… |
Daishin
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
吹風と谷の水としなかりせば深山がくれの花を見ましや
Fuku kaze to tani no midu to si nakariseba miyama gakure no Fana wo mimasi ya | The gusting wind and The valley’s waters Were there none, then Hidden in the mountains’ depths These blossoms – would any wish to see them? |
Tsurayuki
Composed on seeing cherry blossom flowing along the stream in the grounds of the Palace of the Crown Prince.
枝よりもあだにちりにし花なればおちても水の泡とこそなれ
eda yori mo ada ni tirinisi Fana nareba otitemo midu no awa to koso nare | From the branch Have simply scattered These blossoms, so they are Fallen, yet the waters’ Foam have they become. |
Sugano no Takayo
Composed on plum blossom blooming by the water’s edge.
年をへて花のかがみとなる水は散りかかるをや曇るといふ覧
tosi wo Fete Fana no kagami to naru midu Fa tirikakaru wo ya kumoru to iFuran | As the year draws on The blossom mirroring Waters With scattered petals Will be clouded, one might say? |
Ise
'Simply moving and elegant'