Composed during the reign of Emperor Uda when men from the Chamberlain’s Office were composing poems when about to return from Sagano, where they had gone to view the flowers.
花にあかでなにかへるらむをみなへしおほかるのべにねなましものを
| Fana ni akade nani kaFeruran wominaFesi oFokaru nobe ni nenamasi mono wo |
Still unsated by the blooms, So why return home? The maidenflowers Fill this meadow: Here’s where I would sleep! |
Taira no Sadafun
平定文
Composed when he was on his way somewhere and saw maidenflowers planted at a house.
をみなへしうしろめたくも見ゆるかなあれたるやどにひとりたてれば
| wominaFesi usirometaku mo miyuru kana aretaru yado ni Fitori tatereba |
Oh, maidenflower, How troubling To see A house all overgrown With but a single bloom. |
Prince Kanemi
Composed and presented at the maidenflower [poetry] competition at the Suzaku Palace.
ひとりのみながむるよりは女郞花わがすむやどにうゑて見ましを
| Fitori nomi nagamuru yori Fa wominaFesi wa ga sumu yado ni uFete mimasi wo |
All alone in Gloomy gazing-far better, Maidenflower, To plant you at my house, To catch my eye. |
Tadamine
忠岑
Composed and presented at the maidenflower [poetry] competition at the Suzaku Palace.
人の見る事やくるしきをみなへし秋ぎりにのみたちかくるらむ
| Fito no miru koto ya kurusiki wominaFesi akigiri ni nomi tatikakururan |
For man to gaze on you, Is it so painful, Maidenflower, That in the autumn mists You must hide away? |
Tadamine
忠岑
Composed and presented at the maidenflower [poetry] competition at the Suzaku Palace.
たが秋にあらぬものゆゑをみなへしなぞ色にいでてまだきうつろふ
| ta ga aki ni aranu mono yuFe wominaFesi nazo iro ni idete madaki uturoFu |
Alone for you Autumn Has not come, Maidenflowers, So why do you colour So swiftly, then fade? |
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed and presented at the maidenflower [poetry] competition at the Suzaku Palace.
秋ならであふことかたきをみなへしあまのかはらにおひぬものゆゑ
| aki narade aFu koto kataki wominaFesi ama no kaFara ni oFinu mono yuFe |
Outside of autumn It’s impossible to meet Maidenflowers, Though heaven’s river meadows Are not where they grow. |
Fujiwara no Sadakata
Composed and presented at the maidenflower [poetry] competition at the Suzaku Palace.
をみなへし秋のの風にうちなびき心ひとつをたれによすらむ
| wominaFesi aki no nokaze ni utinabiki kokoro Fitotu wo tare ni yosuran |
The maidenflower, With a breeze across the Autumn fields, Waves back and forth; Having but a single heart, To whom does she incline, I wonder? |
The Minister of the Left [Fujiwara no Tokihira].
Topic unknown.
をみなへしおほかるのべにやどりせばあやなくあだの名をやたちなむ
| wominaFesi oFokaru nobe ni yadoriseba ayanaku ada no na wo ya tatinan |
Maidenflowers Fill this field- Were I to lodge here, Would I be called faithless For no reason? |
Ono no Yoshiki
A poem from a poetry competition at Prince Koresada’s house.
秋ののにやどりはすべしをみなへし名をむつまじみたびならなくに
| aki no no ni yadori Fa subesi wominaFesi na wo mutumazimi tabi naranaku ni |
In an autumn meadow I would lodge with The maidenflowers– The name is so appealing- Though I travel not. |
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
Composed when seeing maidenflowers at Man Mountain when going to Nara to visit Archbishop Henjō.
女郎花うしと見つつぞゆきすぐるをとこ山にしたてりと思へば
| wominaFesi usi to mitutu zo ikisuguru otokoyama ni si tateri to omoFeba |
Oh, maidenflowers, How cruel to see you here While passing by; To think that you have Stood upon Man Mountain… |
Furu no Imamichi