Peach Blossom
さきし時なほこそみしかももの花ちればをしくぞ思ひなりぬる
sakishi toki
nao koso mishika
momo no hana
chireba oshiku zo
omoinarinuru | When they bloomed,
Did I gaze upon
Peach blossoms, and
When they scattered, regret
I felt deeply, indeed! |
9[i]
[ii] This poem is included in Shūishū (XVI: 1030) as an anonymous poem with the headnote ‘Topic unknown’.
桃染めの浅らの衣浅らかに思ひて妹に逢はむものかも
momosome no
asara no koromo
asaraka ni
omopite imo ni
apamu mono kamo | Peach dyed,
Pale is this robe, but
With shallow
Passions, my darling,
Would I meet with you? |
Anonymous
Sages’ Dwellings 仙宮
桃の花しげきみたにに尋ねいりておもはぬ里に年ぞへにける
momo no hana
shigeki mitani ni
tazuneirite
omowanu sato ni
toshi zo henikeru | Upon peach blossoms
Growing lushly in a hidden valley,
Did I pay a visit, and
In that secret dwelling place
Did year on year go by. |
Nakazane
Love Interrupted by a Year 経年恋
あふことをとしぎりしたる我が身かな花さきがたき桃ならなくに
au koto o
toshigiri shitaru
wa ga mi kana
hana sakigataki
momo naranaku ni | Meetings
Biennial have become
For me!
For all that a rarely blooming
Peach tree I am not… |
Kanemasa
桜にも枝さしかはす桃なれば空さへ今朝はさかやもひせり
sakura ni mo
eda sashikawasu
momo nareba
sora sae kesa wa
saka yamo hiseri |
When even the cherry
Branches exchanges
With the peach
The very skies this morning
Have reproached them for it! |
Minamoto no Shunrai
誰も皆今朝は桜をうちすてて桃をたづねて過ぐすなりけり
tare mo mina
kesa wa sakura o
uchiisutete
momo o tazunete
sugusu narikeri |
Every single one
This morning does cherry
Abandon and
In search of peach
Spend their time! |
Minamoto no Shunrai
On peach.
雨の日や都に遠きもゝのやど
ame no hi ya
miyako ni toki
momo no yado |
On a rainy day
The capital seems very far away
Here among the peach blossoms. |
On peach blossom: looking at the coastline at Narumi.
船足も休む時あり濱の桃
funa’ashi mo
yasumu toki ari
hama no momo |
The boat’s speed
Slackens for a while:
Peach blossom on the beach. |
(1685)
Composed for a picture of peach blossom on a folding screen in the Tenryaku Period (947-957).
あかざらば千代までかざせ桃の花花も變らじ春も絶えねば
akazaraba
ti yo made kazase
momo no Fana
Fana mo kaFarazi
Faru mo taeneba |
If you cannot get your fill,
For a thousand years, a garland wear,
Of peach blossom;
For the flowers will not age,
And Spring will be unceasing. |
Kiyowara no Motosuke
From the poetry contest at the Teiji Palace.
三千年になるてふ桃の今年より花咲く春にあひにける哉
miti tose ni
naru teFu momo no
kotosi yori
Fana saku Faru ni
aFinikeru kana |
Every three thousand years,
’ Tis said, the peach bears fruit;
And in this year
It blossomed with the spring:
That’s what we have chanced across. |
Mitsune
躬恒
'Simply moving and elegant'