A summer poem, from a hundred poem sequence.
百敷の玉のみぎりのみ川水まがふ蛍も光そへけり
momoshiki no tama no migiri no mikawamizu magau hotaru mo hikari soekeri | A hundredfold the palace walls, Where jewels by the edges of Moat waters Tangle with the fireflies Trailing lights. |
Teika
Boats 船
おそろしやともへはしりそ波間行くあかしを舟のあからめなせそ
osoroshi ya tomoe hashiri so namima yuku akashi o fune no akarame na se so | O, how frightening! Bows and sterns, don’t race so Between the breakers go The lights – so from the boats Take not your wayward gaze! |
Akinaka
夜をかさね戸無瀬の方に見ゆる火は鵜舟に灯すか篝なりけり
yo o kasane
tonase no kata ni
miyuru hi wa
ubune ni tomosu
kagari narikeri |
Night upon night
Towards Tonase
Can I see the lights;
Kindled upon the cormorant boats
Are torches. |
'Simply moving and elegant'