Lord Narihira was married to the Daughter of Ki no Aritsune and, when they had had a disagreement, for a while he would only visit during the daytime and leave in the evening; this was composed and sent to him:
あま雲のよそにも人のなりゆくかさすがにめには見ゆる物から
ama kumo no
yoso ni mo Fito no
nariyuku ka
sasuga ni me ni Fa
miyuru mono kara
Heaven’s clouds’
Is where you seem
To be;
Even though in your wife’s sight
You do appear.
Narihira had been seeing a woman living in the western wing of the palace of the Gojô Empress, and loved her dearly. Shortly after the Tenth day of the First Month, she disappeared off to somewhere else and, though he found out where she was, he could not communicate with her. When Spring came and the plum blossom was in full bloom, on a night when the moon was especially beautiful, he was yearning for the love of the previous year and went back to the western wing and, until the moon was low in the sky, lay upon the bare boards; then he composed the following:
月やあらぬ春や昔の春ならぬわが身ひとつはもとの身にして
tuki ya aranu
Faru ya mukasi no
Faru naranu
wa ga mi Fitotu Fa
moto no mi ni site
Is this not that moon?
And Spring: is as the Spring of old
Is it not?
Only this body of mine
Is as it ever was…
Narihira heard that Fujiwara no Toshiyuki had become close to a lady at his house, and had sent her a letter saying that he was coming directly, but that the falling rain might cause him some trouble; Narihira composed this on her behalf.
数数に思ひ思はず問ひがたみ身を知る雨は降りぞまされる
kazukazu ni
omoFi omoFazu
toFigatami
mi wo siru ame Fa
Furi zo masareru
Politely,
Do you love me or love me not,
Is very hard to ask;
The rain knows how I feel full well
And falls all the harder.
There was once a time when Narihira had got to know a lady in the eastern part of Gojō and visited her regularly. The relationship was secret, so he was unable to enter in through the gate and instead went in and out through a break in the fence. His visits mounted up until the master of the house got to know of it and placed a night-watchman in his path. Although Narihira came, he was unable to meet the lady and returning home, composed this and sent it to her.
人しれぬわが通ひぢの關守はよゐよゐごとにうちも寢ななむ
Fito sirenu
wa ga kayoFidi no
sekimori Fa
yowi yowi goto ni
uti mo nenanamu
Unknown to all
The path I take;
Oh, that the sentry
On every night
Would swiftly fall asleep.