On an occasion when I had many people compose on the same conception.
さくらばなさきちるみれば山里に我ぞおほくの春はへにける
| sakurabana saki chiru mireba yamazato ni ware zo ōku no haru wa henikeru | When the cherry blossoms’ Early scattering I see, That in this mountain retreat I have many a Springtime spent, I know. |
For a folding screen painting of gazing at blossom at a mountain retreat.
時の間とおもひてこしを山ざとに花みるみるとながゐしぬべし
| toki no ma to omoitekoshi o yamazato ni hana mirumiru to nagaishinubeshi | But briefly Did I think to be In this mountain retreat, but In gazing, ever gazing at the blossom Have I lengthily tarried here! |
やま里に家ゐはすべし鶯のなくはつこゑのきかまほしさに
| yamazato ni iei wa subeshi uguisu no naku hatsukoe no kikamahoshisa ni | Into a mountain retreat Shall I make my home, for The warbler’s First sung song Is what I long to hear… |
3
Left (Tie)
やまざとにしるひともがなほととぎすなきぬときかばつげもくるがに
| yamazato ni shiru hito mogana hototogisu nakinu to kikaba tsuge mo kuru gani | At a mountain retreat, I would I had a friend, O, cuckoo, That on hearing your call, He would tell me so… |
Okikaze
43
Right
なつきぬとひとしもつげぬわがやどにやまほととぎすはやくなくなり
| natsu kinu to hito shimo tsugenu wa ga yado ni yamahototogisu hayaku nakunari | Summer has come—that Folk do tell; At my home A mountain cuckoo Gives an early call. |
44
A further poem:
時雨のみふる山里の木の下はをる人からやもり過ぬらん
| shigure nomi furu yamazato no ko no shita wa oru hito kara ya morisuginuran | Showers simply Fall upon a mountain retreat Beneath the trees; Has someone gone astray there To make them seem so endlessly thick? |
When he received these, His Majesty was not of a mind to respond. I have heard that he read the poems then showed them to someone, saying, `What is this about？I don’t understand!’, so it is said they had no effect.
Composed on the moon at dawn at a mountain retreat.
やまざとのかどたのいねのほのぼのとあくるもしらず月を見るかな
| yamazato no kadota no ine no Fonobono to akuru mo sirazu tuki o miru kana | At a mountain retreat, that The rice seedlings in the paddy ‘fore my gate Are dimly Brightening, I know not, for My gaze is on the moon! |
Middle Counsellor Akitaka
中納言顕隆
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
| haru no tatsu kasumi no koromo ura mo naku toshi o hete koso hana no chirikere | Spring does sew A robe of haze Without an underlay, The year passes by in A scattering of blossom |
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
| haru no no no yuki ma o wakete itsushika to kimi ga tame to zo wakana tsumitsuru | Across the springtime meadows Do I forge between the snows, Eagerly, so eagerly, For you, my Lord, Have I gathered fresh herbs! |
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
| harugasumi kasumi kometaru yamazato wa kōri toku tomo kage wa mieji o | The haze of spring Blurs all around A mountain retreat, Even were the ice to melt I could see no sign of it! |
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
| ume ga e ni ki’iru uguisu toshigoto ni hana no nioi o akanu koesuru | Upon the plum tree’s branches Has come to rest the warbler; Every single year, that Of the blossoms’ scent He cannot get his fill he sings. |
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
| sakurairo ni hana saku ame wa furinu tomo chishio zo somete utsurou na sode | Cherry-coloured Blossoms flower, as the rain Falls on, yet Dyed a thousand times Fade not, o, my sleeves! |
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
| aoyagi no ito harubaru to midori naru yukusue made mo omoi koso yare | The willow’s Branches dangle lengthily So green Right to the very end Will I fondly think of you. |
6
Composed when he presented a hundred poem sequence, during the reign of former Emperor Horikawa.
山ざとはさびしかりけりこがらしのふく夕ぐれのひぐらしのこゑ
| yamazato Fa sabisikarikeri kogarasi no Fuku yuFugure no higurasi no kowe | A mountain retreat is Lonely, indeed; The biting wind Blows of an evening with The sundown cicadas’ cries. |
Fujiwara no Nakazane
藤原仲実