Around the last day of the Fifth Month, when she had been lying awake all night, filled with gloomy thoughts.
限りあればこよひにつきぬさみだれも身をしるあめはいつかをやまん
kagiri areba koyoi ni tsukinu samidare mo mi o shiru ame wa itsuka o yaman | All things have an end, so This night’s endless Showers— The rainfall of my misery— O, when might they cease to fall? |
Lady Aki, in service to the Empress Ikuhōmon’in
郁芳門院安芸
The Night of the Fifteenth of the Eighth Month
いつとても月見ぬ秋はなきものをわきて今夜のめづらしきかな
itu tote mo tuki minu aki Fa naki mono wo wakite koyoFi no medurasiki kana | When is there An autumn without gazing on the moon? Never, but On considering, tonight It is rare, indeed! |
Fujiwara no Masatada
逢ふ事やこよひこよひとかよふまに空忘れして月日へにけり
au koto ya koyoi koyoi to kayou ma ni sora wasureshite tsukihi henikeri | I wonder will we meet Tonight, maybe tonight, I think, and While I’m on my way, Forgetful of the skies, Days and months have passed me by. |
Kuninobu, the Minamoto Middle Counsellor
5
In reply.
あや莚をとなるまでも恋ひずしてまだきに床を忘るべしやは
ayamushiro oto naru made mo koizushite madaki ni toko o wasurubeshi ya wa | My patterned blanket Lies far away, and yet Lacking love How swiftly my bed Might you be able to forget? |
Daishin, in service to His Former Majesty
6
Spiders 蜘蛛
ささがにのしるしもいさやいかならんこよひにてみんくものふるまひ
sasagani no shirushi mo isa ya ika naruran koyoi nite min kumo no furumai | A tiny crab’s Sign, well, What to make of it? Tonight will I attend to The spider’s behaviour… |
Nakazane
The Seventh Night 七夜
おしてるや鵜のはぶきける昔もやこよひはちよと祝ひそめけん
oshiteru ya u no habukikeru mukashi mo ya koyoi wa chiyo to iwaisomeken | Bright shining, Did the cormorants beat their wings In times long gone, too? Tonight, for a thousand generations Shall we begin to celebrate! |
Kanemasa
The Seventh Night 七夜
たけならぬ二葉の松のおひ初めてこよひ七夜になりにけるかな
take naranu futaba no matsu no oisomete koyoi nanayo ni narinikeru kana | A tiny New-leafed pine Begins to age From this seventh night that It has reached! |
Tadafusa
The Seventh Night 七夜
君まして今夜七よになりぬればこれよりちよをかぞふべきかな
kimi mashite koyoi nanayo ni narinureba kore yori chiyo o kazoubeki kana | Truly, have you This night your seventh night Reached, so Henceforth a thousand generations Must I count for you! |
Nakazane
The Seventh Night 七夜
しらいとをむすべることぞこよひまでいく万代のかずつもるらん
shira’ito o musberu koto zo koyoi made iku yorozuyo no kazu tsumoruran | With threads of white Have you been bound Up to this night, that Uncounted myriads of ages May mount up for you henceforth |
Akinaka
Composed on snow.
霰降りいたく風吹き寒き夜や旗野に今夜我が独り寝む
arare puri
itaku kaze puki
samuki yo ya
patano ni koyopi
wa ga pitori nemu |
Hail falls, and
Fiercely blows the wind,
On this night, so cold;
At Hatano, tonight,
Must I sleep alone? |
A poem composed by the deceased Emperor on the occasion of a visit to the Yoshino Palace.
見吉野乃 山下風之 寒久尓 為當也今夜毛 我獨宿牟
み吉野の山のあらしの寒けくにはたや今夜も我が独り寝む
miyosino no yama no arasi no samukeku ni pata ya koyopi mo wa ga pitori nemu | Though in fair Yoshino The storm-winds off the mountains Feel so chill, Yet again tonight Will I sleep alone? |
Emperor Monmu (683-707; r. 697-707)
文武
'Simply moving and elegant'