Composed when some courtiers, drinking wine the Attendance Chamber, called him in and told him to compose a poem on ‘waiting for the cuckoo.’
ほととぎすこゑもきこえず山びこはほかになくねをこたへやはせぬ
| Fototogisu kowe mo kikoezu yamabiko Fa Foka ni naku ne wo kotaFe ya Fa senu |
The cuckoo’s Call is silent- But an echo Of a song sung elsewhere, Might not that return to us? |
Mitsune
躬恒
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, in the Kanpyō period.
くるるかと見ればあけぬるなつのよをあかずとやなく山郭公
| kururu ka to mireba akenuru natu no yo wo akazu to ya naku yama Fototogisu |
Did you think ’twas sunset? When a glance would show the breaking dawn Of this summer night- Unsated by your song, do you sing on, Cuckoo in the mountains? |
Mibu no Tadamine
壬生忠岑
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, in the Kanpyô period.
夏の夜のふすかとすれば郭公なくひとこゑにあくるしののめ
| natu no yo no Fusu ka to sureba Fototogisu naku Fito kowe ni akuru sinonome |
On a summer night, I wonder if I should to bed, and then A cuckoo Gives a single cry and Bright dawn breaks. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, in the Kanpyō period.
やどりせし花橘もかれなくになどほととぎすこゑたえぬらむ
| yadorisesi Fana tatibana mo karenaku ni nado Fototogisu kowe taenuran |
Your resting place: The orange blossoms Are yet in bloom, So why, oh, cuckoo, Has your voice failed? |
Ōe no Chisato
大江千里
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, in the Kanpyō period.
夜やくらき道やまどへるほととぎすわがやどをしもすぎがてになく
| yo ya kuraki miti ya madoFeru Fototogisu wa ga yado wo simo sugigateni naku |
Is it night’s darkness? Or, have you lost your way, Oh, cuckoo? By my house You cannot pass, it seems, and so you sing. |
Ki no Tomonori
紀友則