A poem presented to Imperial Prince Niitabe.
勝間田の池は我れ知る蓮なししか言ふ君が鬚なきごとし
| katumata no ike pa ware siru patisu nasi sika ipu kimi ga pige naki gotosi |
Katsumata Pond, I do know well: It has no lotus; And you say so, my Lord, Have no beard, either! |
A certain person has told me they had heard the following about this poem: Prince Niitabe had left the precincts of the capital for a pleasure trip and, on seeing Kasumata Pond, was deeply moved. On his return, his interest in the pond did not abate. Then, he said to a lady, ‘If you saw Katsumata Pond, where I went today, words could not describe the sight of the light reflecting brilliantly from the surface of the waters, and special beauty of the lotus flowers, which were in full bloom.’ Then the lady composed this humourous poem and sang it to him.
A envoy in a certain book.
我が命は惜しくもあらずさ丹つらふ君によりてぞ長く欲りせし
| wa ga inoti wa wosiku mo arazu sani turau kimi ni yorite zo nagaku porisesi |
My life I do not regret, for My ruddy-cheeked Lord’s sake I wanted it to be long… |
Of the above poems, it is said, ‘Once there was a maiden. Her family name was Kurumamochiuji. Her husband went away and many years passed without his return. All that time, the maiden thought fondly of him, suffering, and eventually took to her bed, ill, wasted away day-by-day, and soon was close to death. Then she sent a messenger to her husband, asking him to return. After she did so, with tears streaming down her face, the maiden whispered these poems to herself, and finally died.’
So, I composed in reply to her.
言とはぬ木にはありともうるはしき君が手馴れの琴にしあるべし
| koto topanu ki ni pa aritomo urupasiki kimi ga tanare no koto ni siarubesi |
No speech Has a tree, yet A glorious Lord’s favourite Zither will you certainly be! |
The zither maid replied, ‘I thank you for your kind words. I am truly and humbly grateful.’ I swiftly awoke and moved by the words of the maiden in my dream, I could not remain silent, so I entrusted this zither to an official bound your way, that he might deliver it to you.
Sent by messenger on the 7th day of the Tenth Month Tenpyō 1 [645], to his Most Glorious Excellency of the Inner Palace Guards.