[One of] a number of poems composed on the occasion of an embassy to Silla, exchanged in sadness at parting, or noting emotions on voyage, or ancient poems which matched the location.
武庫の浦の入江の洲鳥羽ぐくもる君を離れて恋に死ぬべし
muko no ura no
irie no sudori
pa kugumoru
kimi wo panarete
kopi ni sinubesi |
At the Bay of Muko
Along the inlets seabirds
Wrapped in wings –
Parted from your embrace, my Lord,
I shall die of love. |
照る月を昼かと見れば暁に羽核搔く鴫もあらじとそ思ふ
teru tuki wo
Firu ka to mireba
akatuki ni
Fane kaku sigi mo
arazi to zo omoFu |
The shining moon
Makes it seem like noon, so
With the dawn,
Beating their wings, even the snipe
Have gone, I feel. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
A poem composed later by Yamanoue no omi Okura.
翼なすあり通ひつつ見らめども人こそ知らね松は知るらむ
tubasa nasu
arigayopitutu
miramedomo
pito koso sirane
matu pa siruramu |
Bearing wings
His soul does traverse the skies;
The sight
Means nothing to men, but
The pine, alone, understands. |
Yamanoue no Okura
水の面にをはうち触れて立つ鳥のやや天さかる人ぞ恋しき
mizu no omo ni
owa uchifurete
tatsu tori no
yaya ama sakaru
hito zo koishiki |
The face of the water,
Is brushed by tails and wings
As the birds take flight
Returning briefly to the skies –
O, how I do love her! |
Minamoto no Yorimasa
源頼政
'Simply moving and elegant'