sayo fukete inari no yama no sugi no ha ni shiroku mo shimo no okinikeru kana
Brief night breaks O’er Inari Mountain, and The cedar needles Turn white with frost A’falling![i]
629
[i] See: Drinking vessels [mizunomi]. いなり山しるしのすぎの年ふりてみつのみやしろ神さびにけり inariyama / shirushi no sugi no / toshi furite / mitsu no miyashiro / kamisabinikeri ‘Mount Inari’s / Symbolic cedars / Carry years’ weight: / The three sacred shrines / Are venerable, indeed!’ Bishop Yūkei (Senzaishū XVIII: 1178); and: On warblers on the road to the barrier, while at the Poetry Office. 鶯のなけどもいまだふる雪に杉の葉しろき逢坂の山 uguisu no / nakedomo imada / furu yuki ni / sugi no ha shiroki / ausaka no yama ‘The warbler / Has sung, yet still / Falling snow / Turns white the cedar needles / On the mount of Meeting Hill.’ The Senior Retired Emperor (Shinkokinshū I: 18)
I wrote this on a fan with a picture of a cuckoo on it, which I had sent, with other things, to the residence of a person who was going up to Michinoku around the Fifth Month.
たち別れいなばの山のほととぎすまつとつげこせかへりくるがに
tachiwakare inaba no yama no hototogisu matsu to tsugekose kaerikuru gani
Left and departed, so If you go to Inaba Mountain, O, cuckoo, Tell her that I’m pining for her, and Wish she would swiftly return…[i]
603
[i] See: Topic unknown. 立ちわかれいなばの山の峰におふる松としきかば今かへりこむ tachiwakare / inaba no yama no / mine ni ouru / matsu to shi kikaba / ima kaerikomu ‘Left and departed— / If I go, to the mounts of Inaba / Where on the peaks, the aged / Pines; hearing you did so / I would return at once.’ Ariwara no Yukihira (Kokinshū VIII: 365)
iwa ga ne no koke no makura ni tsuyu okite iku yo miyama no tsuki ni nenuran
At the crags’ foot With moss for my pillow, and Awake until the dewfall, How many nights in the mountain deeps Have I slept beneath the moon.[i]
580
[i] See: On the conception of seeing the moon while travelling, while at a place called the Barrier Gate Hall. 草枕ほどぞへにける都いでていくよかたびの月にねぬらむ kusamakura / hodo zo henikeru / miyako idete / ikuyo ka tabi no / tsuki ni nenuramu ‘Grassy pillows / For a while have been my lot! / Since departing the capital / For some days on my travels / Will I sleep beneath the moon.’ Ōe no Yoshitoki (Shinkokinshū X: 931)
