A poem from the Poetry Contest held at the Palace of Former Emperor Uda.
さくら花ちりぬるかぜのなごりには水なき空に浪ぞたちける
sakurabana tirinuru kaze no nagori ni Fa midu naki sora ni nami zo tatikeru Cherry blossoms Scattered, the wind Leaves a keepsake In the waterless sky of A wave of broken petals.
Tsurayuki
Composed on returning from an ascent of Mount Hiei.
山たかみ見つつわが来しさくら花風は心にまかすべらなり
yama takami mitutu wa ga kosi sakurabana kaze Fa kokoro ni makasuberanari On the mountain’s heights, Did I ever see, when homeward bound, Cherry blossoms, where Now the wind will Do as it wants!
Tsurayuki
Composed on the scattering of cherry blossoms.
雪とのみふるだにあるをさくら花いかにちれとか風のふく覧
yuki to nomi Furu dani aru wo sakurabana ika ni tire to ka kaze no Fukuran Simply as snow Do fall the Cherry blossoms: So why to scatter them Does the wind seem to blow?
Ōshikōchi no Mitsune
Composed when someone said there was nothing that scattered as swiftly as cherry blossom.
桜花とくちりぬとも思ほえず人の心ぞ風もふきあへぬ
sakurabana toku tirinu tomo omoFoezu Fito no kokoro zo kaze mo FukiaFenu Cherry blossoms Are swiftly scattered – I think not, for Folks’ hearts, too Are fluttered by the breeze.
Tsurayuki
Composed on the scattering of cherry blossoms.
ことならばさかずやはあらぬさくら花見る我さへにしづ心なし
koto naraba sakazu ya Fa aranu sakurabana miru ware saFe ni sidukokoro nasi If it could be that You never bloomed at all, O, cherry blossoms, Then at your sight I Would not be so disturbed…
Tsurayuki
Composed on seeing cherries blooming on a mountain.
春霞なに隠す覧さくら花ちる間をだにもみるべき物を
Farugasumi nani kakusuramu sakurabana chiru ma wo dani mo mirubeki mono wo Why should the spring haze So conceal The cherry blossoms, for Their brief instant of scattering at least Is something I would see…
Tsurayuki
Someone whom he had known for a long time came to call; after he had departed, he composed this, attached it to a branch of cherry blossom, and sent it to him.
ひとめ見しきみもや来るとさくら花けふは待ちみてちらばちら南
Fitome misi kimi mo ya kuru to sakurabana keFu Fa mati mite tiraba tiranamu But briefly did you glimpse them, so They wonder if you will return, These cherry blossoms; Today, I watch them and wait for you, so If they are to scatter, then let them!
Tsurayuki
Composed for Archbishop Henjō and sent to him.
桜花ちらばちらなむちらずとて古里人の来ても見なくに
sakurabana tiraba tiranamu tirazu tote Furusatobito no kite mo minaku ni O, cherry blossom! If you are to scatter, then I would you did, For should you say you’ll not, then My old friend, Might come, and see it not…
Prince Koresada
Topic unknown.
この里に旅寝しぬべし桜花ちりのまがひに家路わすれて
kono sato ni tabineshinubesi sakurabana chiri no magaFi ni iFedi wasurete In this hamlet Must I sleep upon my travels; In the cherry blossoms’ Scattering distraction Have I forgot my homeward path…
Anonymous
Composed for a poetry competition held during the reign of Emperor Uda.
見る人もなき山里のさくらばなほかのちりなんのちぞさかまし
miru Fito mo naki yamazato no sakurabana Foka no tirinan noti zo sakamasi With folk to see you Not a one, in this mountain home, O, cherry blossoms, After all the others are scattered and gone Would I have you bloom!
Ise
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