Topic unknown.
わたつ海のおきつしほあひにうかぶあわのきえぬものからよる方もなし
wata tu umi no oki tu siFoaFi ni ukabu awa no kienu mono kara yoru kata mo nasi Across the broad sea sweep In the offing upon the clashing tides Floats foam Endlessly, though It has nowhere to go…
Anonymous
行く水に風のふきいるる桜花ながれてきえぬあわかとぞ見る
yuku mizu ni kaze no fuki’iruru sakurabana nagarete kienu awa ka to zo miru Into the rushing waters The wind has blown Cherry blossom Flowing as imperishable Foam does it appear.
Created with Soan.
Fallen blossom at the water’s edge.
やま桜木木のこずゑに見しものを岩間の水にあわとなりぬる
yamazakura kigi no kozue ni mishi mono o iwama no mizu ni awa to narinuru The mountain cherry blossom Upon the trees’ tops Did I see, but As water through the craggy rocks’ Foam, it was…
Created with Soan.
When her grandchild passed away.
うきながらきえせぬ物は身なりけりうらやましきは水のあわかな
ukinagara kiesenu mono Fa mi narikeri urayamasiki Fa midu no awa kana How cruel it is that What remains here yet Is me— How I envy The foam upon the waters!
Nakatsukasa
Created with Soan .
Sent when he saw the Tsutsumi Middle Counsellor Lady of the Bedchamber.[1]
あなこひしはつかに人をみづのあわのきえかへるともしらせてしかな
ana koFisi Fatuka ni Fito wo midu no awa no kiekaFeru tomo sirasetesi kana O, how strong my love! Faintly, a lady Did I see, who as foam upon the water Vanished once more, yet I had to let her know!
The Ononomiya Palace Minister
Created with Soan .
[1] A reference to Fujiwara no Sōshi (Kuwako) 藤原桑子 (dates unknown), the daughter of Fujiwara no Kanesuke 藤原兼輔 (877-933), who was an Imperial Concubine to Emperor Daigo 醍醐 (885-930; r 897-930), and the mother of Imperial Prince Nori’akira 章明 (924-990).
Composed on seeing cherry blossom flowing along the stream in the grounds of the Palace of the Crown Prince.
枝よりもあだにちりにし花なればおちても水の泡とこそなれ
eda yori mo ada ni tirinisi Fana nareba otitemo midu no awa to koso nare From the branch Have simply scattered These blossoms, so they are Fallen, yet the waters’ Foam have they become.
Sugano no Takayo
'Simply moving and elegant'