[One of] Two poems composed at the South Shrine in Minu in spring – sakaki.
をとめごがとるかみがきのさか木葉とやとせつばきはいづれ久しき
otomego ga
toru kamigaki no
sakakiba to
yatose tsubaki wa
izure hisashiki | Maidens
Take from the sacred fence
Leaves of sakaki and
Many-years camellia:
Which is older, I wonder? |
Nōin
かすが野にけぶりたつみゆをとめごしはるののおはぎつみてくるらし
kasugano ni
keburi tatsu miyu
otomego shi
haruno no ohagi
tsumitekururashi | Above Kasuga Plain
I see the smoke a’rising;
The maidens
To the springtime fields asters
A’picking have come, it seems! |
Left
をとめ子がひかげのうへに降る雪は花のまがふにいづれたがへり
otomego ga
hikage no ue ni
furu yuki wa
hana no magau ni
izure tagaeri | Maidens
In the sunlight, with
The falling snow;
Such a blending of blossoms—
How do they differ? |
145
Left
かきくらし散る花とのみふる雪は冬のみやこの雲のちるかと
kakikurashi
chiru hana to nomi
furu yuki wa
fuyu no miyako no
kumo no chiru ka to | Quickly darkening with
Scattered blossom that is simply
Falling snow,
Is the capital in winter
Strewn with cloud? |
146
Singing Girls 妓女
をとめ子がいかにをかしきすがたにてみるたびごとにうちゑまるらん
otomego ga
ika ni okashiki
sugata nite
miru tabi goto ni
uchiemaruran | The maidens –
How charming are
Their forms, that
Every time I see them
I do seem to smile. |
Tadafusa
Singing Girls 妓女
をとめ子がをみのたもとにひれふりて返すま袖をしのばざらめや
otomego ga
omi no tamoto ni
hire furite
kaesu masode o
shinobazarame ya | From the maidens’
Gowns’ sleeves
Their stoles do wave;
The back and forth
I might not recall! |
Toshiyori
Singing Girls 妓女
絵にかくと筆もおよばじ乙女子が花のすがたを誰にみせまし
e ni kaku to
fude mo oyobaji
otomego ga
hana no sugata o
tare ni misemashi | A painted picture
No brush can match –
The maidens’
Blossoming forms:
To whom should I reveal? |
Nakazane
Singing Girls 妓女
をとめ子がもすそにあまるくろかみのなびけくをみるぞいふかたもなき
otomego ga
mosuso ni amaru
kurokami no
nabikeku o miru zo
iu kata mo naki | The maidens’
Skirt hems swept by
Raven tresses
Trailing – the sight does
Leave me wordless… |
Akinaka
Gosechi 五節
もろ人のあそぶなるかな乙女子がかざみのすそのながき夜すがら
morobito no
asobunaru kana
otomego ga
kazami no suso no
nagaki yosugara | Crowds of folk do
Enjoy themselves!
The maiden’s
Robes’ trains are
As long as night… |
Kanemasa
Gosechi 五節
をとめ子が袖ふりそめしをみ衣とよのあかりにたえせざりけり
otomego ga
sode furisomeshi
omigoromo
toyo no akari ni
taesezarikeri | The maidens
Have begun to wave the sleeves of
Their purification robes;
The Festival of New Grain
Has endured for ever! |
Nakazane
Gosechi 五節
をとめ子が雲のうへにて袖ふれば日影にまがふあまの羽衣
otomego ga
kumo no ue nite
sode fureba
hikage ni magau
ama no hagoromo | The maidens are
Above the clouds
Sleeves waving, so
Indistinguishable from sunlight are
Their heavenly gossamer robes! |
Akinaka
'Simply moving and elegant'