One drizzly morning, when I saw the plum blossom blooming at the Shōchōjuin, and wove a garland from them.
ふる寺の朽木の梅も春雨にそほちて花ぞほころびにける
| furudera no kuchigi no mume mo harusame ni sōchite hana zo hokorobinikeru | At an ancient temple Even the gnarled plum tree, By spring showers Drenched, into blossom Has burst out! |
A warbler after the rain.
春雨の露もまだひず梅がえにうは毛しをれて鶯ぞなく
| harusame no tsuyu mo mada hizu mume ga e ni uwage shiorete uguisu zo naku | The spring shower’s Dewfall’s not yet dried, but Upon the plum branch, Plumage drenched, Sings out the warbler! |
A warbler between the blossom.
春くれば先さくやどのむめのはなかをなつかしみうぐひすぞ鳴く
| haru kureba mazu saku yado no mume no hana ka o natsukashimi uguisu zo naku | When the spring has come, First to bloom at my house is Plum blossom Fond of its fragrance Does the warbler sing! |
Bird cherry.
ゆきふかきかきねのむめのいかにしてなほうづもれぬかにはさくらん
| yuki fukaki kakine no mume no ika ni shite nao uzumorenu ka ni wa sakuran | Deep with the snow is The plum blossom by my brushwood fence: O, what will become of it— Still buried Will its fragrance bloom forth? |
The Former Kinugasa Minister of the Centre [Kinugasa no Ieyoshi 衣笠家良 (1192-1264)]
衣笠前内大臣
Composed on the scent of plum blossom at night.
むめがえにかぜやふくらん春の夜はをらぬ袖さへにほひぬるかな
| mume ga e ni kaze ya Fukuran Faru no yo Fa woranu sode saFe nioFinuru kana | Are the plum trees’ branches Being blown by the wind? On a night in springtime Even unfolded sleeves Give forth a scent! |
Nagafusa, Former Assistant Governor General of the Dazaifu
Left
神無月しぐれふるらしさほ山の正木のかづら色まさりゆく
| kaminazuki shigure fururashi saoyama no masaki no kazura iro masarikeri | In the Godless Month Showers fall, it seems, for On Sao Mountain The evergreen arrowroot’s Hues are fine, indeed. |
125[1]
Right
冬くれば梅に雪こそ降りかかれいづれのえをか花とはをらむ
| fuyu kureba mume ni yuki koso furikakare izure no e o ka hana to wa oramu | When the winter comes Upon the plum tree, truly, does snow Fall and cling; From which branch, I wonder Should I pick the blossom? |
126
[1] Shinkokinshū VI: 574
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
梅が香を袖にうつしてとどめてば春は過ぐとも形見ならまし
| mume ga ka wo sode ni utusite todometeba Faru Fa sugutomo katami naramasi | If only the plums’ scent Would shift to my sleeves and Stay there, then Even when spring is past and gone A keepsake would it be… |
Anonymous
On the 13th day of First Month Tenpyō 2, there was a gathering at the residence of the Governor General for a banquet. That year the month was truly a perfect example of early spring, with a sublime atmosphere and gentle breezes. The plum blossom bloomed with the whiteness of the powder one applies before a mirror; the orchids gave off a scent like that trailed behind one from a perfumed sachet. Moreover, in the morning the clouds moved across the peaks, and capped the pine trees with a silken gauze. Then with the evening mists rose from the mountain caverns, and birds, lost in the silken folds, flew in confusion through the woods. In the garden, new-born butterflies danced, while in the skies, geese flew homeward. Thus, with the heavens to cover us, and the land spread out before, we sat with knees close together and the wine-cups flew back and forth. All of us together quite forgot our words, and allowed our hearts to fly free in the beautiful scene. Truly, there is no way to measure the emotions of the time, so filled with pleasure were we. Were it not for poetry, how could we record our feelings? In the poetry of Cathay, there are volumes on the fallen blossoms, but what difference is there between those ancient compositions and those of the present? And so, and so, shall we not compose short poems on this garden of blossoming plum?
正月立ち春の来たらばかくしこそ梅を招きつつ楽しき終へめ
| mutuki tati paru no kitaraba kaku shi koso mume wo manekitutu tanosiki opeme | The First Month appears and With the coming of spring Thus Beckoned by plum blossom Will we exhaust ourselves with joy! |
Senior Assistant Governor General, Lord Ki
Breaking off a branch of plum blossom, he sent it to a certain person.
君ならで誰にかみせん梅花色をも香をも知る人ぞ知る
| kimi narade tare ni ka misen mume no Fana iro wo mo ka wo mo siru Fito zo siru | If not to you Then to whom should I present Plum blossoms? For their shades and their scent both, It is you who know them best of all… |
Tomonori
Left (Win).
重ねずと思ふばかりぞ小夜衣匂ひは袖に移りぬるかな
| kasanezu to omou bakari zo sayogoromo nioi wa sode ni utsurinuru kana |
No piled robes, but All I do is long for her: Her night-robe’s Scent upon my sleeves Does dwell…. |
Lord Suetsune
881
Right.
匂ひ來る梢ばかりを情にて主は遠き宿の梅が枝
| nioikuru kozue bakari o nasake nite aruji wa tōki yado no mume ga e |
The scent drifting From the treetops is my only Consolation, for Their master is as far away As his dwelling’s plum blossom branches… |
Nobusada
882
The Right state: the Left’s poem lacks any faults to indicate. The Left state: is the Right’s poem not composed upon the plum blossom of the house next door?
In judgement: for the topic of ‘Nearby Love’, poems composed where the lovers are in the same room are most likely winners. Even so, how close do their dwellings need to be? The Left’s latter section, ‘Her night-robe’s scent upon my sleeves’ (sayogoromo nioi wa sode ni) is certainly elegant. The Right’s poem has ‘Their master is as far away’ (aruji wa tōki). Simply because of this, it is certainly not composed on plum blossom. Still, the Left’s ‘night-robe’ (sayogoromo) seems a little superior to ‘The scent drifting from the treetops is my only consolation’ (nioikuru kozue bakari o nasake nite).