As a poem on willows.
青柳のいともてぬける白露の玉こきちらす春の山かぜ
aoyagi no ito mo tenukeru shiratsuyu no tama kokichirasu haru no yamakaze | Pale green willow Threads are strung With silver dewdrops— Gems scattered by The breeze from off the mountains in springtime. |
Created with Soan.
As a poem on willows.
春くれば猶色まさる山しろのときはの杜の青柳のいと
haru kureba nao iro masaru yamashiro no tokiwa no mori no aoyagi no ito | Spring has come, and Still their hues are beyond fine: In Yamashiro’s Evergreen forests— Pale green threads of willow. |
Created with Soan.
Left (Tie)
ふるさとにかすみとびわけゆくかりはたびのそらにやはるをすぐらむ
furusato ni kasumi tobiwake yuku kari wa tabi no sora ni ya haru o suguramu | Above an ancient estate Flying through the parting haze Go the geese: In the skies they journey through, I wonder, will they pass the springtime? |
Mitsune
19
Right
ちるはなをぬきしとめねばあをやぎのいとはよるともかひやなからむ
chiru hana o nukishi tomeneba aoyagi no ito wa yoru tomo kai ya nakaramu | The scattered blossom Has been pierced, but not stayed, so, The green willow’s Threaded fronds are spun together, yet It useless seems… |
20
‘“Sewn but not halted”—it really does seem so.’
Topic unknown.
いづ方によるとかは見む青柳のいと定めなき人の心を
idukata ni yoru to ka Fa mimu awoyagi no ito sadamenaki Fito no kokoro wo | Where is it that You might be headed, I wonder? Twisted The green willow’s Threaded fronds are inconstant as A man’s heart. |
Anonymous
Composed on willows.
青柳之 絲乃細紗 春風尓 不乱伊間尓 令視子裳欲得
青柳の糸のくはしさ春風に乱れぬい間に見せむ子もがも
awoyagi no ito no kupasisa parukaze ni midarenu ima ni misemu ko mo gamo | The green willow Fronds’ fresh beauty is By the spring breezes Untangled now— If only I had a girl I would show her! |
Anonymous
Spring
Ten Poems on the Second Month
Left
あをやぎのえだにかかれるはるさめはいともてぬけるたまかとぞみる
aoyagi no eda ni kakareru harusame wa ito mo te nukeru tama ka to zo miru | Upon the green willow Branches hang Spring raindrops— As if each frond were hand-threaded With gems do they appear. |
Ise
1
Right
あさみどりそめてみだれるあをやぎのいとをばはるのかぜやよるらむ
asamidori somete midareru aoyagi no ito oba haru no kaze ya yoruramu | Pale green Dyes the tangled Willow Fronds—do spring’s Breeze they seem to beckon? |
Korenori
2
I’d say both of these are good—a tie.
From among his spring poems
河ぎしのかげ行く水にうちなびき波の玉ぬく青柳の糸
kawagishi no kage yuku mizu ni uchinabiki kawa no tama nuku aoyagi no ito | By the bank’s Shade flow waters where Trailing Threaded with the river’s jewels Are the willow fronds. |
Ki no Yukinaga
紀行長
をとこやまみねふみわけてなくしかはへじとやおもふしひてあきには
otokoyama mine fumiwakete naku shika wa heji to ya omou shiite aki ni wa | Upon Otoko Mountain’s Peak treads A belling stag: I wonder, does he not wish To have to endure the autumn? |
41
をぐらやまみねのもみぢばなにをいとにへてかおりけむしるやしらずや
ogurayama mine no momijiba nani o ito ni hete ka orikemu shiru ya shirazu ya | On Ogura Mountain’s Peak, the scarlet leaves Somehow, as warp threads Crossing, woven seem— Who knows that? No one, I expect! |
42
Left
我のみやあはれとおもはむきりぎりす鳴く夕かげのやまとなでしこ
ware nomi ya aware to omowan kirigirisu naku yūkage no yamato nadeshiko | Is it only I Who loves it so? Crickets Chirping in the evening shadows On the wild pinks. |
Sosei
80[1]
Right
秋の野の草はいととはみえなくにおく白露の玉とつらなる
aki no no no kusa wa ito to wa mienaku ni oku shiratsuyu no tama to tsuranaru | In the autumn meadows The grasses, threads Do not appear to be, yet The fallen silver dewdrop Gems are strung upon them. |
Tsurayuki
81
[1] Kokinshū IV: 244
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
haru no tatsu kasumi no koromo ura mo naku toshi o hete koso hana no chirikere | Spring does sew A robe of haze Without an underlay, The year passes by in A scattering of blossom |
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
haru no no no yuki ma o wakete itsushika to kimi ga tame to zo wakana tsumitsuru | Across the springtime meadows Do I forge between the snows, Eagerly, so eagerly, For you, my Lord, Have I gathered fresh herbs! |
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
harugasumi kasumi kometaru yamazato wa kōri toku tomo kage wa mieji o | The haze of spring Blurs all around A mountain retreat, Even were the ice to melt I could see no sign of it! |
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
ume ga e ni ki’iru uguisu toshigoto ni hana no nioi o akanu koesuru | Upon the plum tree’s branches Has come to rest the warbler; Every single year, that Of the blossoms’ scent He cannot get his fill he sings. |
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
sakurairo ni hana saku ame wa furinu tomo chishio zo somete utsurou na sode | Cherry-coloured Blossoms flower, as the rain Falls on, yet Dyed a thousand times Fade not, o, my sleeves! |
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
aoyagi no ito harubaru to midori naru yukusue made mo omoi koso yare | The willow’s Branches dangle lengthily So green Right to the very end Will I fondly think of you. |
6
'Simply moving and elegant'