When the autumn wind was blowing coldly, around the time his wife passed away.
思ひきや秋のよ風のさむけきにいもなきとこにひとりねむとは
| omoFiki ya aki no yokaze no samukeki ni imo naki toko ni Fitori nemu to Fa | How unexpected is The autumn night’s wind, So cold upon My bed where, without my darling I must sleep alone. |
Senior Assistant Governor General Kuni’akira
The moon above the riverside.[i]
千はやぶるみたらし川の底きよみのどかに月の影はすみけり
| chihayaburu mitarashigawa no soko kiyomi nodoka ni tsuki no kage wa sumikeri | The mighty Mitarashi River has A bed so pure— Tranquil, the moon’s Light shines clear.[ii] |
625
[i] Even though it is not specified in the headnote, the poem makes it clear that Sanetomo is referring to a specific river, the Mitarashi here.
[ii] This poem shows influence from Shinkokinshū XIX: 1889, and also: Topic unknown. まこもかる淀のさは水ふかけれどそこまで月の影はすみけり makomo karu / yodo no sawamizu / fukakeredo / soko made tsuki no / kage wa sumikeri ‘Reaping wild rice / In the Yodo’s marsh-waters, / So deep, yet / Right down to the bed, the moon’s / Light is clear.’ Former Major Counsellor Masafusa (Shinkokinshū III: 229)
月さゆるみもすそ川の底きよみいづれの代にかすみはじめけん
| tsuki sayuru mimosusogawa no soko kiyomi izure no yo ni ka sumihajimeken | Chill, the moon Upon the Mimosuso River, Its bed so clear— In which age was it, That it began to be so, I wonder?[i] |
619
[i] See: Composed for a picture of the Rinji Festival at the Kamo Shrine on a folding screen prepared for the entrance of a Junior Consort to the palace in the 6th year of Bunji (1190). 月さゆるみたらし河にかげみえてこほりにすれる山あゐの袖 tsuki sayuru / mitarashigawa ni / kage miete / kōri ni sureru / yama’ai no sode ‘Chill, the moon, / Upon the Mitarashi River / Shines, seeming as / A design of ice upon / Indigo sleeves.’ Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari (Shinkokinshū XIX: 1889)
After a certain lady had set off up to the capital, I composed these and, attaching them to a letter, had it sent to her.
夜をさむみひとりね覚の床さえてわが衣手に霜ぞ置きける
| yo o samumi hitori nezame no toko saete wa ga koromode ni shimo zo okikeru | Chill the night, so On waking alone My bed is frozen, and On my sleeves Frost has fallen, indeed![i] |
597
[i] See: Topic unknown. 夜をさむみねざめてきけばをしぞなく払ひもあへず霜やおくらん yo o samumi / nezamete kikeba / oshi zo naku / harai mo aezu / shimo ya okuran ‘Chill the night and / On waking, I hear / A mandarin drake a’crying / For he cannot brush away / The fallen frost, it seems.’ Anonymous (Gosenshū VIII: 478)
Frost at a journey’s lodging
袖まくら霜おくとこの苔のうへにあかすばかりのさよの中やま
| sode makura shimo oku toko no koke no ue ni akasu bakari no sayo no nakayama | With my sleeve for my pillow, and Frost falling on my bed Atop the moss, Swiftly breaks the dawn At Sayo-no-Nakayama.[i] |
582
[i] See: On a storm at one’s lodgings on a journey, for the Iwashimizu Poetry Match. 岩がねのとこに嵐をかたしきてひとりやねなんさよの中山 iwa ga ne no / toko ni arashi o / katashikite / hitori ya nenan / sayo no Nakayama ‘At the crags’ foot / Lies my bed with the storm wind / Alone, spread upon me— / Lonely, must I sleep? / At Sayo-no-Nakayama…’ Lord Ari’ie (Shinkokinshū X: 962)
A shower at a journey’s lodging
たびの空なれぬはにふのよるのとこ侘しきまでにもる時雨かな
| tabi no sora narenu hanyū no yoru no toko wabishiki made ni moru shigure kana | Beneath a journey’s skies With unfamiliar mud walls Around my bed tonight, Sad and lonely have I become With the shower dripping through![i] |
581
[i] See: On disembarking. 旅のそらはにふのこやのいぶせさにふるさといかにこひしかるらん tabi no sora / hanyū no koya no / ibusesa ni / furusato ika ni / koishikaruran ‘Beneath a journey’s skies / Within a mud hut and / Filled with gloom / For my ancient home how much / I do seem to long…’ Captain of the Third Rank Shigehira (Heike monogatari 85)
Left
したひもをゆふつけどりのこゑたちてけさのわかれになきぞわびぬる
| shitahimo o yūtsukedori no koe tachite kesa no wakare ni naki zo wabinuru | Underbelt Tying with the cockerel’s Crow, arising, At this morning’s parting I weep, all forlorn! |
34
Right
かぎりとはおもはぬものをあかつきのわかれのとこはおきうかりけり
| kagiri to wa omowanu mono o akatsuki no wakare no toko wa oki’ukarikeri | My limits I have not reached, I think, but At dawn Parting from your bed, Rising is so wretched. |
35
