On hearing that a lady had begun conversing with another person, despising a man who visited her only at lengthy intervals.
ほとゝぎす花橘の香をうとみことかたらふと聞くはまことか
| Fototogisu Fana tatibana no ka wo utomi koto kataraFu to kiku Fa makoto ka |
Does a cuckoo The orange blossoms’ Scent disregard and Sing elsewhere? I’ve heard it but, can it be true? |
When various members of the court had gone to a place in the mountains to listen to cuckoos, Minor Captain Kintō, having feelings in a certain direction, intimated as much and, on returning, sent this the following morning:
山里にほのかたらひしほとゝぎす鳴く音聞きつと傳へざらめや
| yamazato ni Fono kataraFisi Fototogisu naku ne kikitu to tutaFezarame ya |
Within that mountain retreat Softly called A cuckoo; That you heard his cry, Might you tell, I wonder?. |
When the courtiers had said they would await a cuckoo call and it had not done so by dawn.
待たずこそあるべかりければほとゝぎすねにねられでもあかしつるかな
| matazu koso arubekarikereba Fototogisu ne ni neraredemo akasituru kana |
Not to have waited, indeed, That would have been better! O, cuckoo, Try we might, but unsleeping lay and Now the daybreak’s come. |
On Controller Tametō, when he returned in the morning from an assignation.
たが里にいかにしのぶぞほとゝぎすをのが垣根は花や散りにし
| ta ga sato ni ika ni sinobu zo Fototogisu wono ga kakine Fa Fana ya tirinisi |
At whose dwelling Have you secretly been calling, O, cuckoo? Has your own fence Lost all its blooms? |
Around the Eighth Month on a night when the moon was bright, Former Emperor Kazan said we should compose a poem in an incorrect format:
秋の夜に山ほとゝぎす鳴かませば
| aki no yo ni yama Fototogisu nakamaseba |
On an autumn night Should a mountain cuckoo Burst into song |
I concluded:
垣根の月や花と見えまし
| kakine no tuki ya hana to miemasi |
The moon upon fence Might seem as blossom. |
While waiting for the first cuckoo at the courtiers hall:
かき曇りなどか音せぬほとゝぎす
| kakikumori nado ka oto senu Fototogisu |
Cloud-wracked, it is, and Why sing you not a note, O, cuckoo? |
Tamesuke heard me and said:
鎌鞍山に道や惑へる
| kamakurayama ni miti ya madoFeru |
In the darkness of Mount Kamakura Have you lost your way? |
When the Kōshin rite was celebrated at the Koichijō mansion on the Fifth Day of the Fifth Month.
やどの上に山ほとゝぎすきなくなり今日はあやめの根のみと思ふに
| yado no uFe ni yama Fototogisu kinakunari keFu Fa ayame no ne nomi to omoFu |
Above the house A mountain cuckoo Has come to sing; On this day iris Roots, alone, would be there, I thought. |
On the last day of the Fourth Month, when at a mountain estate with a group of courtiers to listen for cuckoos.
都人待つほどしるくほとゝぎす月のこなたに今日は鳴かなむ
| miyakobito matu Fodo shiruku Fototogisu tuki no konata ni keFu Fa nakanamu |
Capital folk Are simply waiting for you, O, cuckoo: This side of the month, Today, I would have you sing! |