When composing a fifty-poem sequence for Cloistered Prince Shukaku.
紅葉ばのいろにまかせてときは木も風にうつろふ秋の山かな
| momijiba no iro ni makasete tokiwagi mo kaze ni utsurou aki no yama kana | To the scarlet leaves’ Hues entrusting their fate, The evergreens, too, Shift with the wind In the autumn mountains! |
Kintsugu, Supernumerary Master of the Crown Prince’s Household Office
Composed for the Palace Poetry Match in Eishō 4.
あらしふくみむろの山のもみぢばはたつたの川のにしきなりけり
| arasi Fuku mimuro no yama no momidiba Fa tatuta no kaFa no nisiki narikeri | The storm wind blowing Down Mimuro Mountain makes The scarlet leaves Upon the Tatsuta River A fine brocade. |
Monk Nōin
Winter.
たつた山みねのしぐれの糸よわみぬけどみだるるよもの紅葉葉
| tatsutayama mine no shigure no ito yowami nukedo midaruru yomo no momijiba | Upon Mount Tatsuta The showers on the peak Are fragile threads, indeed— They tug, yet leave confused The scarlet leaves everywhere… |
Composed and sent to someone when he was suffering with sickness one autumn and feeling particularly downhearted.
もみぢばをかぜにまかせてみるよりもはかなき物はいのちなりけり
| momidiba wo kaze ni makasete miru yori mo Fakanaki mono Fa inoti narikeri | The scarlet leaves To the winds entrust their fate; Seeing them how much Briefer a thing Is life. |
Ōe no Chisato
On autumn mornings, kōshin Fourth Month, Kenpo 5.
をぐら山しぐるるころのあさなあさな昨日はうすき四方のもみぢば
| ogurayama shigururu koro no asana asana kinō wa usuki yomo no momijiba | On gloomy Ogura Mountain When the showers fall Each and every morning, How faded are yesterday’s Scarlet leaves, all around. |
Former Middle Counsellor Sada’ie
Composed on drizzle, for a notebook match held at the residence of Fujiwara no Chikako, Junior Second Rank.
しぐれつつかつちるやまのもみぢ葉をいかにふくよのあらしなるらん
| siguretutu katu tiru yama no momidiba wo ika ni fuku yo no arashi naruran | Constant drizzle falls All over the mountain’s scattered Scarlet leaves, so It may as well blow through the world: The storming wind! |
Master of the Palace Repairs Office Akisue
When I heard nothing more from a person who had vowed to go to see the scarlet leaves at Tonase with me.
うしろめたとくといそがで紅葉ばはとなせのたきのおちもこそすれ
| ushirometa tokuto isogade momijiba wa tonase no taki no ochi mo koso sure | How untrustworthy! You take care to make no haste, and The scarlet leaves At Tonase cataract, without a word Will surely fall! |
Left
紅葉ばのながるる河をおしなべてせきぞとどむる秋のをしさに
| momijiba no nagaruru kawa o oshinabete seki zo todomuru aki no oshisa ni | Scarlet leaves Flow down the river Everywhere and anywhere, Halting at the fishing weir, All the regrets of autumn… |
35
Right
ちらすなる心のうちまでおのがじしわかるるあきををしみつるかな
| chirasu naru kokoro no uchi made ono ga jishi wakaruru aki o oshimitsuru kana | Made to scatter is My heart of hearts, until, Self-centred, Departing autumn Fills me with regret! |
36
Left
我がこころなぐさめかねつみをすててをしむをあきのしひてすぐれば
| wa ga kokoro nagusamekanetsu mi o sutete oshimu o aki no shiite sugureba | My heart Cannot be consoled, so I’ll cast off all restraint, and Be filled with regret, as autumn Forces its way by… |
25
Right
もみぢばのはかなきかぜにちらざれば秋はすぐともしられざらまし
| momiijba no hakanaki kaze ni chirazareba aki wa sugu to mo shirarezaramashi | The scarlet leaves with A brief breeze Do not scatter, so That autumn’s passing by I would not want to know! |
26
Left (Win)
したひてもとめまほしきはいまはとて秋のゆくらんかたぞしられぬ
| shitaitemo tomemahoshiki wa ima wa tote aki no yukuran kata zo shirarenu | These fair hues I would detain For now, I say, for Whither autumn might go Is unknown to all… |
19
Right
もみぢばをにしきとみゆる秋なればたつををしとや鹿のなくらん
| momijiba o nishiki to miyuru aki nareba tatsu o oshi to ya shika no nakuran | The scarlet leaves as Brocade do appear In autumn, so Is it regret that departure cuts them short That makes the stag cry out? |
20