On the conception of autumn turning cold early, when frost falls in the Ninth Month.
虫のねもほのかに成りぬ花すすき秋のすゑばに霜や置くらん
mushi no ne mo
honoka ni narinu
hanasususki
aki no sueba ni
shimo ya okuran | The insects’ cries, too,
Have grown faint—
Upon the miscanthus’
Autumn fronds
Might frost have fallen? |
年ごとに秋のわかれはあまたあれどけふのくるるぞわびしかりける
toshi goto ni
aki no wakare wa
amata aredo
kyō no kururu zo
wabishikarikeru | In very single year
From autumn do I part—
So many times I’ve done it, yet
As today darkens into dusk
I am filled with lonely sorrow. |
On regretting the passage of autumn.
なが月の在明の月のつきずのみくる秋ごとにをしきけふかな
nagatsuki no
ariake no tsuki no
tsukizu nomi
kuru aki goto ni
oshiki kyō kana | In the Longest Month
Of the dawntime moon
I simply cannot get enough, so
With every autumn’s coming
Today fills me with regret! |
はかなくてくれぬとおもふをおのづから在明の月に秋ぞのこれる
hakanakute
kurenu to omou o
onozukara
ariake no tsuki ni
aki zo nokoreru | How swiftly
Did it reach its end, thought
I, but
In the dawntime moon does
Autumn linger. |
雁なきてさむきあらしの吹くなべにたつたの山は色付きにけり
kari nakite
samuki arashi no
fuku nae ni
tatsuta no yama wa
irozukinikeri | The geese cry and
As a chill storm wind
Blows,
The mountain of Tatsuta
Takes on autumn hues. |
Fallen leaves atop the water
暮れて行く秋のみなとにうかぶこの葉あまの釣する舟かともみゆ
kureteyuku
aki no minato ni
ukabu ko no ha
ama no tsurisuru
fune ka to mo miyu | As evening falls
In autumn at the river mouth
The drifting leaves,
As seafolk off fishing
In their boats do seem, perhaps… |
Composed after I had had various people compose on the autumn oak leaves on Mount Sao in a shower.
さほやまのははそのもみぢちぢの色にうつろふ秋は時雨ふりにけり
saoyama no
hahaso no momiji
chiji no iro ni
ustsurou aki wa
shigure furinikeri | Upon Mount Sao
The oaks’ autumn leaves are
A multitude of hues
Shifting in the autumn, for
The showers fall. |
Fulling clothes before the moon
秋たけてよぶかき月の影みればあれたるやどに衣うつなり
aki takete
yobukaki tsuki no
kage mireba
aretaru yado ni
koromo utsu nari | With autumn at its height
When deep within the night the moon’s
Light I see,
At a ruined house,
The sound of fulling clothes… |
On the conception of the 15th night of the Eighth Month
久堅の月のひかりしきよければ秋のなかばを空にしるかな
hisakata no
tsuki no hikari shi
kiyokereba
aki no nakaba o
sora ni shiru kana | The eternal
Moon’s light is so
Clear that
The midst of autumn is
Revealed in the skies! |
やまさむみ衣手うすしさら科やをばすての月に秋ふけしかば
yama samumi
koromode usushi
sarashina ya
obasute no tsuki ni
aki fukeshikaba | How cold the mountain, and
How scanty my sleeves,
Though in Sarashina
The moon o’er Obasute tells that
Autumn’s depths draw near… |
'Simply moving and elegant'
