Composed when a large number of the Junior Consort’s ladies conducted blossom-viewing during the reign of former Emperor Horikawa.
春毎にあかぬ匂をさくら花いかなる風のをしまざるらむ
| Faru goto ni akanu nioFi wo sakurabana ikanaru kaze no woshimazaruramu |
Every single spring Never am I sated by The cherry blossom; What breeze is it that Is not a cause of regret? |
Chikuzen Wet Nurse
筑前乳母
龍田山見つつ越え来し桜花散りか過ぎなむ我が帰るとに
| tatutayama mitutu koekisi sakurabana tirika suginamu wa ga kaperu to ni |
On Tatsuta Mountain: While crossing it, I did gaze Upon the cherry blossoms: Will they all have fallen When I go home again? |
A poem composed on the 17th day of the Eighth Month Tempyō 4 by Takahashi no Mushimaro, when Fujiwara no Umakai was sent into the west to inspect the military forces there.
白雲の 龍田の山の 露霜に 色づく時に うち越えて 旅行く君は 五百重山 い行きさくみ 敵守る 筑紫に至り 山のそき 野のそき見よと 伴の部を 班ち遣はし 山彦の 答へむ極み たにぐくの さ渡る極み 国形を 見したまひて 冬こもり 春さりゆかば 飛ぶ鳥の 早く来まさね 龍田道の 岡辺の道に 丹つつじの にほはむ時の 桜花 咲きなむ時に 山たづの 迎へ参ゐ出む 君が来まさば
| sira kumo no tatuta no yama no tuyusimo ni iroduku toki ni utikoete tabi yuku kimi pa ipopeyama iyukisakumi adamamoru tukusi ni itari yamanosoki no nosoki miyo to tomo no be wo akati tukapasi yamabiko no kotapemu kipami taniguku no sawataru kipami kunikata wo misitamapite puyugomori paru sariyukaba tobu tori no payaku kimasane tatsutadi no wokabe no miti ni nitutuzi no nipopamu toki no sakurabana sakinamu toki ni yamatadu no mukaemawidemu kimi ga kimasaba |
Clouds of white On Tatsuta Mountain When the frosty dewfall Shades it, Across it You will go, my Lord, Many mountains Passing, and At foe-warding Tsukushi arrive; On the mountains end, On the plains end, gazing; Sentry squads Dividing for despatch; Echoes from the mountains’ Bounds, Toad Testing limits Of the land A’viewing; Sealed in winter, then When spring comes once more As a soaring bird Swiftly return! When upon the trails of Tatsuta Upon the hillside paths Ochre azaleas Bloom brightly; When cherry blossom Blooms, Bearing elder flowers Will we come to greet you! Should you come home again… |
Shun’e
俊恵
Composed on fallen flowers on a mountain path.
櫻花道みえぬ迄ちりにけりいかゞはすべき志賀の山ごえ
| sakurabana miti mienu made tirinikeri ikaga Fa subeki siga no yamagoe |
Cherry blossoms Hide the way So many have fallen; What am I to do, On the path across the Shiga Mountains? |
Tachibana no Narimoto
橘成元
After a man who was of a mind to become a monk had travelled to Yamato province and been there for some time, when a lady whom he had known before sent to him, enquiring how the cherry blossoms had been blooming lately.
みよし野の吉野の山の桜花白雲とのみ見えまがひつゝ
| miyosino no yosino no yama no sakurabana sirakumo to nomi miemagaFitutu |
In fair Yoshino On Yoshino mountain, The cherry blossom Simply for clouds of white I do always mistake! |
Anonymous
A poem composed for the Empress’ Poetry Competition during the Kanpyō Period.
み吉野の山べにさけるさくら花雪かとのみぞあやまたれける
| miyosino no yamabe ni sakeru sakurabana yuki ka to nomi zo ayamatarekeru |
In Yoshino By the mountains, the flowering Cherry blossoms: Simply for snow I did mistake them! |
Ki no Tomonori