A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the Reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.
住の江のきしによる波夜さへや夢のかよひ路人めよくらむ
| suminoe no kisi ni yoru nami yoru saFe ya yume no kayoFidi Fitome yokuramu | On Suminoe’s Shore break waves; Even at night Upon the path of dreams Can we avoid others’ prying eyes? |
Lord Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
For a folding screen at the residence of Major Captain of the Right Sadakuni.
住の江の松を秋かぜ吹くからにこゑうちそふる興つしらなみ
| suminoe no matu wo akikaze Fuku kara ni kowe utisoFuru oki tu siranami | When through Suminoe’s Pines the autumn wind Does blow, Draped are they by the roar of Whitecaps in the offing. |
Mitsune
Left (Tie)
はるふかきいろこそなけれやまぶきのはなにこころをまづぞそめつる
| haru fukaki iro koso nakere yamabuki no hana ni kokoro o mazu zo sometsuru | In the depths of spring, Their hues, indeed, are lacking: The kerria Blooms have my heart Dyed first! |
Mitsune
31
Right
かぜふけばおもほゆるかなすみのえのきしのふぢなみいまやさくらむ
| kaze fukeba omohoyuru kana suminoe no kishi no fujinami ima ya sakuramu | When the wind blows—that Is when I wonder if at Suminoe’s Shore the wisteria waves Are blooming now? |
Prince Kaneyuki
32
Love
Round Fourteen
Left
逢ふ事をいづくなりともしらぬ身の我がたましひの猶まどふかな
| au koto o izuku nari tomo shiranu mi no wa ga tamashii no nao madou kana | Meeting you, When will it be? Not knowing that My soul is Yet lost! |
26
Right (Win)
あふことはまつにてとしのへぬるかな身はすみの江におひぬものから
| au koto wa matsu nite toshi no henuru kana mi wa suminoe ni oinu mono kara | To meet with you I have pined, and the years Have passed! For my flesh at Suminoe Has grown… |
27
Round Eight
Left
秋風の吹来る声はやまながらなみ立ちかへるおとぞきこゆる
| akikaze no fukikuru koe wa yama nagara nami tachikaeru oto zo kikoyuru | The autumn breeze’s Cry comes gusting; And in the mountains, The sound of waves washing back and forth Comes to my ears. |
15
Right
すみの江の松を秋風吹くからにこゑうちそふる沖つ白なみ
| suminoe no matsu o akikaze fuku kara ni koe uchisouru oki tsu shiranami | At Suminoe The pines by the autumn breeze Are blown, so The sound lies atop The whitecaps in the offing. |
16
A poem from the Empress’ Poetry Competition held in the Kanpyō period.
住の江の岸による浪夜さへや夢の通ひ路人目よくらむ
| suminoe no kisi ni yoru nami yoru saFe ya yume no kayoFidi Fitome yokuramu |
As to Suminoe’s Shore rush the waves Why every night Upon the path of dreams Do I hide from other’s eyes? |
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
藤原敏行
Left (Tie).
世とゝもに吹上の濱のしほ風に靡く眞砂のくだけてぞ思ふ
| yo to tomo ni fukiage no hama no shio kaze ni nabiku masago no kudakete zo omou |
Long lasting as the world, Upon the beach at Fukiage By the tide-borne wind The streaming sands Are shattered as my thoughts of you. |
111
Right
住の江の松のねたくやよる浪のよるとはなげき夢をだに見で
| sumi no e no matsu no netaku ya yoru nami no yoru to wa nageki yume o dani mide |
The Suminoe Pines: how I envy them! Roots Washed by waves, My night is sunk in sorrow, Lacking e’en a glimpsed dream. |
112