Composed during the reign of former Emperor Ichijō, when His Majesty was presented with a gift of some eightfold cherry blossom from Nara and, being in attendance, he ordered her to composed a poem on this gift of blossom.
いにしへのならの宮このやへざくらけふここのへににほひぬるかな
| inishie no nara no miyako no yaezakura kyō kokonoe ni nioinuru kana | The ancient Capital of Nara had Eightfold cherry blossom, that Today within the ninefold palace Does shine! |
Ise no Taiyū
From the Poetry Contest in 1500 Rounds.
あさ日かげにほへる山のさくら花つれなくきえぬ雪かとぞみる
| asahi kage nioeru yama no sakurabana tsurenaku kienu yuki ka to zo miru | Daybreak sunrise Lights the mountains’ Cherry blossom— A stubbornly resistant Snowfall do they seem to be? |
Lord Fujiwara no Ari’ie
On the same conception [blossom, when he presented a hundred poem sequence].
身にかへておもふもくるしさくら花さかぬみ山にやどもとめてむ
| mi ni kaete omou mo kurushi sakurabana sakanu miyama ni yado mo tometemu | It will cost my life, So painful to think of Cherry blossom Not yet in bloom deep within the mountains Where my lodging is to be. |
Monk Nyogan
Composed on the conception of seeing blossom every morning.
たづねきてたをるさくらの朝露に花のたもとのぬれぬ日ぞなき
| tadunekite taworu sakura no asatuyu ni Fana no tamoto no nurenu Fi zo naki | I pay a visit and Pluck, with my hand, a stem of cherry blossom; The morning dew My springtime sleeves Dampens every single day! |
The Naka-no-in Minister of the Right
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
| keFi 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)]
For a folding screen depicting a large number of travellers lying beneath blossom.
いましはと思ひし程にさくらばなちる木のもとに日数へぬべし
| ima shi wa to omoishi hodo ni sakurabana chiru ko no moto ni hikazu henubeshi | ‘Now, for sure, I’ll—’ I did think, but Cherry blossom Scattered from the trees, and beneath, Without arising, must I pass my time! |
On an occasion when I had many people compose on the same conception.
さくらばなさきちるみれば山里に我ぞおほくの春はへにける
| sakurabana saki chiru mireba yamazato ni ware zo ōku no haru wa henikeru | When the cherry blossoms’ Early scattering I see, That in this mountain retreat I have many a Springtime spent, I know. |
Composed on blossom.
桜ばなちらまくをしみうちひさすみやぢの人ぞとのゐせりける
| sakurabana chirimaku oshimi uchihisasu miyaji no hito zo tonoiserikeru | The cherry blossom Is scattering—full of regret Lit by the shining sun The courtiers Attend it. |
