While gazing at the blossom, after Middle Counsellor Atsutada has passed away, and various people had gone to a mountain retreat at Nishisakamoto on Mount Hiei.
いにしへはちるをや人の惜みけん花こそ今は昔こふらし
| inisiFe Fa tiru wo ya Fito no osimiken Fana koso ima Fa mukasi koFurasi | Long ago Their scattering would he Ever regret, but Now, ‘tis the blossom That seems to long for bygone days. |
The Ichijō Regent
In the spring of the year following his daughter’s death, when the cherry blossom was in full bloom, he was gazing on the blossom at his house and, with others, composed on the topic of ‘expressing a little of one’s feelings’.
さくら花のどけかりけりなき人をこふる涙ぞまづはおちける
| sakurabana nodokekarikeri naki Fito wo koFuru namida zo madu Fa otikeru | The cherry blossom Seem so at peace, but For her who’s gone My loving tears Will be the first to scatter. |
The Onomiya Grand Minister
Composed on the conception of the essential nature of things.
神といひ仏といふも世中の人の心のほかのものかは
| kami to ii hotoke to iu mo yo no naka no hito no kokoro no hoka no mono ka wa | What we call God, and What we call Buddha, too— In this mundane world ‘Tis in the human heart that They are and nowhere else, aren’t they? |
654
Composed on Shintō in relation to ancient estates.
磯のかみふるきみやこは神さびてたたるにしあれや人もかよはぬ
| iso no kami furuki miyako wa kami sabite tatarunishi are ya hito mo kayowanu | Here at Isonokami The ancient capital was Touched by the divine: Was it cursed, perhaps, so Folk no longer travel there?[i] |
646
[i] See: Composed at the Isonokami temple in Nara on hearing the cuckoo sing. いその神ふるき宮この郭公聲ばかりこそむかしなりけれ isonokami / furuki miyako no / hototogisu / koe bakari koso / mukashi narikere ‘Here at Isonokami / In the ancient capital / The cuckoo’s / Call alone / Is as of old.’ Dharma Master Sosei (Kokinshū III: 144)
On the conception of summer lover, when he held a poetry match at his house.
うつせみのなくねやよそにもりの露ほしあへぬ袖を人のとふまで
| utsusemi no naku ne ya yoso ni mori no tsuyu hoshiaenu sode o hito no tou made | A cicada shell of Cries, sobs distant as Dripping dewdrops in the forest— My sleeves never drying Until folk ask me why.. |
The Regent and Grand Minister
For a folding screen, during the reign of the Engi Emperor.
ゆきて見ぬ人もしのべと春の野のかたみにつめるわかななりけり
| yukite minu hito mo shinobe to haru no no no katami ni tsumeru wakana narikeri | They have not gone to see, yet Those folk, too, I would have recall The plains in springtime with The keepsake of these plucked Fresh herbs. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
