Composed on snow among the plum blossom.
梅のかのふりおける雪にまがひせばたれかことごとわきてをらまし
mume no ka no
Furiwokeru yuki ni
MagaFiseba
tare ka kotogoto
wakite woramasi
The scent of plum
With the covering snow
Is blended, so
Who one from the other
Could tell and pluck them?
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed on snow falling to cover the trees.
ふゆごもり思ひかけぬをこのまより花と見るまで雪ぞふりける
Fuyugomori
omoFikakenu wo
ko no ma yori
Fana to miru made
yuki zo Furikeru
Buried in Winter,
How unexpected it is
Between the trees
To imagine flowers
In the fallen snow.
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed as a Winter poem.
雪ふれば冬ごもりせる草も木も春にしられぬ花ぞさきける
yuki Fureba
Fuyugomoriseru
kusa mo ki mo
Faru ni sirarenu
Fana zo sakikeru
As the snow falls down,
Sealing in Winter
All the plants and trees,
Unknown in Spring
Flowers bloom.
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
Composed at Kitayama, when he had gone there saying he was going to pick some autumn leaves.
見る人もなくてちりぬるおく山の紅葉はよるのにしきなりけり
miru Fito mo
nakute tirinuru
oku yama no
momidi Fa yoru no
nisiski narikeri
No one to see
Their fall –
In the mountains’ heart
These scarlet leaves are night’s
Brocade, indeed.
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed on seeing the autumn leaves, when he was living at Ono.
秋の山紅葉をぬさとたむくればすむ我さへぞたび心ちする
aki no yama
momidi wo nusa to
tamukureba
sumu ware saFe zo
tabi kokoti suru
The mountains at Autumn time
Of their scarlet leaves, a garland make and
Offer to the Gods, thus
Even I, living here,
Would follow them on their journey.
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed at Ōi on the last day of the Long Month.
ゆふづく夜をぐらの山になくしかのこゑの内にや秋はくるらむ
yuFuduku yo
wogura no yama ni
naku sika no
kowe no uti ni ya
aki Fa kururamu
In the twilit night
Of Ogura mountain,
Does the belling stag’s
Call tell
The dusk of Autumn?
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed while pondering on the Tatsuta River at the end of Autumn.
年ごとにもみぢばながす龍田河みなとや秋のとまりなるらむ
tosi goto ni
momidiba nagasu
tatutagaFa
minato ya aki no
tomari naruramu
In every year
Scarlet leaves flow
Upon Tatsuta River;
Is its mouth Autumn’s
Lodging, I wonder?
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed when he saw Autumn leaves while living at a place called Ono.
秋の山紅葉をぬさとたむくればすむ我さへぞたび心ちする
aki no yama
momidi wo nusa to
tamukereba
sumu ware saFe zo
tabi kokoti suru
The Autumn mountains
Weave Autumn leaves
For offerings, so
Even I, living here,
Feel the urge to travel.
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed when he went to the northern hills, saying he was going to gather Autumn leaves.
見る人もなくてちりぬるおく山の紅葉はよるのにしきなりけり
miru Fito mo
nakute tirinuru
okuyama no
momidi Fa yoru no
nisiki narikeri
With no eyes to see
At all, they’ve scattered
In the mountains’ heart,
These Autumn leaves are night’s
Brocade, indeed!
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed on transplanting chrysanthemums which had been at someone else’s house:
さきそめしやどしかはれば菊の花色さへにこそうつろひにけれ
sakisomesi
yado si kaFareba
kiku no Fana
iro saFe ni koso
uturoFinikere
Their first flowered
Home have they left,
These chrysanthemum blooms,
And their hues too
Have moved on.
Tsurayuki
貫之
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'Simply moving and elegant'