A party of ladies on their way home from Shiga came into the precincts of the Kazan temple and stood for a while beneath the wisteria; when they had gone, he composed this and sent it to them.
よそに見てかへらん人にふぢの花はひまつはれよ枝はおるとも
yoso ni mite kaFeran Fito ni Fudi no Fana FaFimatuFare yo eda Fa oru tomo
A casual glance, and Then those girls are gone; O, wisteria blooms, Twine around and hold them here, Though your branches break…
Once she had gone to a temple called Isonokami and, when it grew dark, she decided to return home with the dawn and stayed the night; someone said, ‘Henjō is here,’ so she sent him this to see what his reaction would be.
岩の上旅寢をすればいと寒し苔の衣を我に貸さなん
iFa no uFe
tabine wo sureba
ito samusi
koke no koromo wo
ware ni kasanan
Atop this crag
I am to spend a traveller’s night;
So cold!
Your robes of moss,
Won’t you lend me?