Composed on plum blossom.
さきしよりかねてぞをしき梅花ちりのわかれはわが身とおもへば
| sakishi yori kanete zo oshiki ume no hana chiri no wakare wa wa ga mi to omoeba | Since you bloomed, I have felt nothing but regret, O, plum blossoms! For on parting, the one to scattered Will be me, I fear… |
Composed on plum blossom.
わがやどの八重のこうばいさきにけりしるもしらぬもなべてとはなん
| wa ga yado no yae no kōbai sakinikeri shiru mo shiranu mo nabete towanan | At my house Eightfold scarlet plum Has bloomed; Acquaintances, and not, All, equally, I would have you come to visit! |
Composed on plum blossom.
梅のはなさけるさかりをめのまへにすぐせるやどは春ぞすくなき
| ume no hana sakeru sakari o me no mae ni suguseru yado wa haru zo sukunaki | The plum blossoms Are blooming in profusion Before my eyes Passing time at my house Spring is brief, indeed! |
Composed on plum blossom.
春風はふけどふかねど梅花さけるあたりはしるくぞ有りける
| harukaze wa fuketobu kanedo mume no hana sakeru atari wa shiruku zo arikeru | Whether the breeze in springtime Blows, or blows not, that The plum blossom Is blooming here is Startlingly clear! |
Composed on plum blossom.
梅がえにこほれる霜やとけぬらんほしあへぬ露の花にこぼるる
| ume ga e ni kōreru shimo ya tokenuran hoshiaenu tsuyu no hana ni koboreru | Upon the plum tree’s branches The frozen frost Is melting, it seems— Never-drying dewdrops Overflow the blossom. |
One drizzly morning, when I saw the plum blossom blooming at the Shōchōjuin, and wove a garland from them.
ふる寺の朽木の梅も春雨にそほちて花ぞほころびにける
| furudera no kuchigi no mume mo harusame ni sōchite hana zo hokorobinikeru | At an ancient temple Even the gnarled plum tree, By spring showers Drenched, into blossom Has burst out! |
Lingering snow.
春きては花とか見えんおのづから朽木の杣にふれる白雪
| haru kite wa hana to ka mien onozukara kuchigi no soma ni fureru shirayuki | When spring does come As blossom does it seem? Intermittently Upon Timber Mountain’s bare branches Is there fallen snow, so white. |
Snow falling on Mount Kasuga.
松のはのしろきをみれば春日山木のめも春の雪ぞ降りける
| matsu no ha no shiroki o mireba kasugayama ko no me mo haru no yuki zo furikeru | The pine needles All white do appear, so On Kasuga Moutain Clinging to the trees’ new shoots spring Snow has fallen. |
For a painting of fresh herbs on a folding screen.
かすがののとぶひののもりけふとてや昔かたみに若なつむらん
| kasuga no no tobuhi nomori kyō tote ya mukashi katami ni wakana tsumuran | Upon the plain of Kasuga At Tobuhi, a field warden Wonders if ‘twas today Long ago? His basket of memories With fresh herbs filled, perhaps… |
Fresh herbs in the snow.
わかなつむ衣手ぬれてかた岡のあしたのはらにあは雪ぞふる
| wakana tsumu koromode nurete kataoka no ashita no hara ni awayuki zo furu | Picking fresh herbs, My sleeves are soaked, for In Kataoka Upon the plain of Ashita Falls a froth of snow. |
