Composed on hearing the first cuckoo of the year.
郭公はつこゑきけばあぢきなくぬしさだまらぬこひせらるはた
Fototogisu
Fatsukowe kikeba
adikinaku
nusi sadamaranu
koFiseraru Fata |
The cuckoo’s
First call comes to me and,
Foolishly,
With no one in mind
I think of love. |
The Monk Sosei (859-897)
素性法師
Composed when he was passing through the Otowa mountains and heard a cuckoo calling.
おとは山けさこえくれば郭公こずゑはるかに今ぞなくなる
otoFa yama
kesa koekureba
Fototogisu
kozuwe Farukani
ima zo nakunaru |
In the Otowa mountains,
As I pass through this morning,
A cuckoo
Far distant in the treetops
Is singing. |
Ki no Tomonori (d. ca. 905)
紀友則
Topic unknown.
けさきなきいまだたびなる郭公花たちばなにやどはからなむ
kesa ki naki
imada tabi naru
Fototogisu
Fana tachibana ni
yado Fa karanan |
This morning, you did come, and call
But still you journey on;
Oh, cuckoo,
These orange blossoms
I would lend you for a lodging. |
Anonymous.
Topic unknown.
いつのまにさ月きぬらむあしひきの山郭公今ぞなくなる
itu no ma ni
satuki kinuran
asiFiki no
yama Fototogisu
ima zo nakunaru |
In an instant
The Fifth month is here, for
Foot-wearying
Mountain cuckoos
Are already calling. |
Anonymous.
Topic unknown.
わがやどの池の藤波さきにけり山郭公いつかきなかむ
wa ga yado no
ike no Fudinami
sakinikeri
yama Fototogisu
ituka kinakamu |
At my home
On the pond wisteria waves
Are breaking;
Mountain cuckoo,
When might you come and sing? |
Anonymous.
This poem is said by some to be by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro.
'Simply moving and elegant'