Kurōdo no tō-ke uta’awase 7

たなばたもすずむしのねもこよひこそ心をかくるつまとなりけれ

tanabata mo
suzumushi no ne mo
koyoi koso
kokoro o kakuru
tsuma to narikere
The Weaver Maid, too,
The bell crickets’ cries,
On this night above all
Hides within her heart
That she is wed.

Lord Tamechika[1]


[1] Minamoto no Tamechika 源為親 (dates unknown). He was the elder brother of Minamoto no Tamenori源為憲, a minor noble who has one poem in Shūishū (VIII: 464). Tamechika himself reached no further than Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, and served as Governor of Higo.

Kurōdo no tō-ke uta’awase 3

おもひやるほしあひのそらのこころにもふりすてがたきすずむしのこゑ

omoiyaru
hoshiai no sora no
kokoro ni mo
furisutegataki
suzumushi no koe
Pondering upon
The sky of trysting stars,
Deep within my heart
I find it hard to cast aside
The bell crickets’ song.

Yukiyori[1]


[1] Tachibana no Yukiyori 橘行頼 (dates unknown): Yukiyori was the son of Tachibana no Yukihira (dates unknown), and appears as a minor poet in Shūishū (IV: 231).

Kurōdo no tō-ke uta’awase 1

On the 7th day of the Seventh Month,[1] the gentlemen and ladies were divided into teams at the residence of the Head Chamberlain[2] and made to conduct a poetry contest, with the topic being ‘Bell Crickets’.

たなばたにかしやみつらんすずむしのくもゐはるけきねこそきこゆれ

tanabata ni
kashi ya mitsuran
suzumushi no
kumoi harukeki
ne koso kikoyure
To the Weaver Maid
It has been lent—is that what I see?
The bell crickets’
Cloud clearing
Cry I do hear!

Muratada[3]


[1] This contest took place on the 7th day of the Seventh Month Eien 永延 2 [21.8.988].

[2] Fujiwara no Sanesuke 藤原実資 (957-1046).

[3] Identity unknown.