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