Tag Archives: mountain stream

Horikawa-in enjo awase 1

This match took place when, hearing that his courtiers were composing poetry, His Majesty ordered them to compose love poems to the ladies in attendance.

おもひあまりいかでもらさんおく山の岩かきこむる谷の下みづ

omoi’amari
ikade morasan
okuyama no
iwa kakikomuru
tani no shitamizu
My passion’s full, so
How should it o’erflow?
Deep within the mountains
Hemmed in by crags are
The waters of the valley floor…

Major Counsellor Kinzane
1

In reply

いかなれば音にのみきく山川の浅きにしもはこころよすらん

ika nareba
oto ni nomi kiku
yamakawa no
asaki ni shimo wa
kokoro yosuran
For some reason,
I simply hear the sound
Of a mountain stream;
Into the shallows, indeed, has
Your heart been swept, it seems!

[Nakako,] The Suō Handmaid
2

Koresada shinnō-ke uta’awase 34

あきのむしなどわびしげにこゑのするたのめしかげに露やもりくる

aki no mushi
nado wabishige ni
koe no suru
tanomeshi kage ni
tsuyu ya morikuru
Why do the autumn insects
And more let out plaintive
Cries;
Is your trustworthy face
Drenched in dew?

67

もみぢばのながれてゆけば山がはのあさきせだにもあきはふかみぬ

momijiba no
nagareteyukeba
yamagawa no
asaki se dani mo
aki wa fukaminu
The scarlet leaves
Have come flowing, so
The mountain stream’s
Shallow rapids—even they
Are deep in autumn!

68