Composed on a day during the reign of former Emperor Horikawa when the ladies of the court went to visit the blossom in the Eastern hills.
たちかへりまたやとはまし山かぜに花ちる里の人のこころを
| tachikaeri mata ya towamashi yamakaze ni hana chiru sato no hito no kokoro o | Rising and returning Only to once more pay a curious call: The breeze from off the mountains Scattering blossom round the estate Where lies my lady’s heart… |
Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Morotoki
One of Takekuma’s pines had withered.
たけくまのまつも一本かれにけりかぜにかたぶくこゑのさびしさ
| takekuma no matu mo Fito moto karenikeri kaze ni katabuku kowe no sabisisa | At Takekuma A single pine Has withered; Brushed by the breeze Loneliness is given voice… |
When he participated in an archery display, during the reign of the Jōgan emperor [Seiwa].
けふ桜しづくにわが身いざぬれむかごめにさそふ風のこぬまに
| keFu sakura siduku ni wa ga mi iza nuremu kagome ni sasoFu kaze no konu ma ni | Today let cherry blossom Droplets my body Drench! For the scented Breeze has yet to blow… |
The Kawara Minister of the Left
[Minamoto no Tōru 源融 (822-895)]
Left
いまはとてすぎゆく秋のかたみにはかぜのおくれにもみぢをやみん
| ima wa tote sugiyuku aki no katami ni wa kaze no okure ni momiji o ya min | Might now be when Departing autumn’s Keepsake is Presented on the breeze: A glimpse of scarlet leaves? |
41
Right
あきながらとしはくれなん紅葉ばをぬさとちらせる山のみねより
| aki nagara toshi wa kurenan momijiba o nusa to chiraseru yama no mine yori | It’s autumn, so The year has reached its dusk; Scarlet leaves for A garland are made to scatter From the mountain peaks… |
42
Left
我がこころなぐさめかねつみをすててをしむをあきのしひてすぐれば
| wa ga kokoro nagusamekanetsu mi o sutete oshimu o aki no shiite sugureba | My heart Cannot be consoled, so I’ll cast off all restraint, and Be filled with regret, as autumn Forces its way by… |
25
Right
もみぢばのはかなきかぜにちらざれば秋はすぐともしられざらまし
| momiijba no hakanaki kaze ni chirazareba aki wa sugu to mo shirarezaramashi | The scarlet leaves with A brief breeze Do not scatter, so That autumn’s passing by I would not want to know! |
26
As a poem on willows.
青柳のいともてぬける白露の玉こきちらす春の山かぜ
| aoyagi no ito mo tenukeru shiratsuyu no tama kokichirasu haru no yamakaze | Pale green willow Threads are strung With silver dewdrops— Gems scattered by The breeze from off the mountains in springtime. |
After I had had various people compose on the scent of plum carried on the breeze.
このねぬるあさけの風にかをるなり軒ばの梅の春のはつ花
| kono nenuru asake no kaze ni kaoru nari nokiba no ume no haru no hatsubana | Having slept The dawntime breeze Is scented: Beneath my eaves the plum Shows spring’s first blossom. |
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! |
Left (Win)
さくらちるこのしたかぜはさむからでそらにしられぬゆきぞふりける
| sakura chiru ko no shitakaze wa samukarade sora ni shirarenu yuki zo furikeru | The cherry scattering Breeze beneath the trees Lacks chill— Unaware from within the skies The snow is falling. |
Tsurayuki
13[i]
Right
わがこころはるのやまべにあくがれてながながしひをけふもくらしつ
| wa ga kokoro haru no yamabe ni akugarete naganagashi hi o kyō mo kurashitsu | My heart to The mountainside in springtime Is drawn— The long, long day Today, too, has reached its dusk. |
Mitsune
14[ii]
The Left wins. ‘The Right has “long, long” which is a disagreeable word. It was hissed through pursed lips with drooping shoulders,’ and so it lost.
[i] This poem is included in Shūishū (I: 64), with the headnote, ‘From Former Emperor Uda’s Poetry Contest’.
[ii] This poem is included in Shinkokinshū (I: 81), attributed to Tsurayuki with the headnote ‘A poem from Former Emperor Uda’s Poetry Contest’.
Spring
Ten Poems on the Second Month
Left
あをやぎのえだにかかれるはるさめはいともてぬけるたまかとぞみる
| aoyagi no eda ni kakareru harusame wa ito mo te nukeru tama ka to zo miru | Upon the green willow Branches hang Spring raindrops— As if each frond were hand-threaded With gems do they appear. |
Ise
1
Right
あさみどりそめてみだれるあをやぎのいとをばはるのかぜやよるらむ
| asamidori somete midareru aoyagi no ito oba haru no kaze ya yoruramu | Pale green Dyes the tangled Willow Fronds—do spring’s Breeze they seem to beckon? |
Korenori
2
I’d say both of these are good—a tie.