人しれぬ袖ぞ露けき逢ふことはかれのみまさる山のした草
hito shirenu sode zo tsuyukeki au koto wa kare nomi masaru yama no shitagusa | Unknown to all My sleeves are drenched with dew; For our meetings Excel only in being withered As the scrub grass on the mountainside. |
[Nakako,] The Suō Handmaid
29
In reply.
おく山の下かげ草はかれやする軒ばにのみはおのれなりつつ
oku yama no shitakagegusa wa kare ya suru nokiba ni nomi wa onore naritsutsu | Deep within the mountains, have The grasses growing in the trees’ dark shade Really withered away? Simply beneath your eaves, Is where I ever am… |
The Consultant Middle Captain
30
Image by joyfultta from Pixabay
きてなれし袂は人に見せてましつらき涙の色のかはらば
kitenareshi tamoto wa hito ni misetemashi tsuraki namida no iro no kawaraba | I was wont to wear These sleeves—to him I would display them: If heartless tears Should change their hues… |
Yurika, from the Hall of the Junior Consort
27
In reply.
忍草しのぶる程のよがれにはなにに心も袖もぬるらん
shinobugusa shinoburu hodo no yogare ni wa nani ni kokoro mo sode mo nururan | A fond fern I do recall as My nightly visits cease, so Why is my heart and Sleeves, too, so drenched? |
The Assistant Lieutenant of the Middle Palace Guards, Left Division
28
おもひやれとはで程ふる五月雨に独やどもる袖の雫を
omoiyare towade hodo furu samidare ni hitori yado moru sode no shizuku o | Lost in thoughts of you, Time without a visit passes by As a summer shower In my lonely home leaks Droplets on my sleeves… |
Lady Higo
25
In reply
世とともにさてのみこそはすぐししか思ひしりぬや袖の雫を
yo to tomo ni sate nomi koso wa sugushishika omoishirinu ya sode no shizuku o | Together with the world All stayed the same As it passed by; Could I be ignorant of The droplets on your sleeves? |
The Middle Counsellor
26
忍ぶれど物思ふ人はうき雲の空に恋する名をのみぞたつ
shinoburedo mono’omou hito wa ukigumo no sora ni koisuru na o nomi zo tatsu | I kept it secret, yet She, who is the focus of my thoughts, is As a drifting cloud Within the sky, and of my love Rumours, alone, do rise toward her. |
Middle Captain Morotoki, Fourth Rank
19
恋すともいかでか空に名はたたじ忍ぶる程は袖につつまで
koisu to mo ikade ka sora ni na wa tataji shinoburu hodo wa sode ni tsutsumade | You love, so How is it that the skies Could remain untouched by rumours? Your secret You’ve not kept wrapped within your sleeves… |
Lady Aki, in service to the Empress Dowager
20
人しれぬ思ひありそのはま風に浪のよるこそいはまほしけれ
hito shirenu omoi ariso no hamakaze ni nami no yoru koso iwamahoshikere | Unknown to all My passion burns—toward a rocky Beach the breeze Brings waves–that I would tell you! |
Middle Captain Toshitada
17
In reply.
おとにきくたかしの浜のあだ波はかけじや袖のぬれもこそすれ
oto ni kiku takashi no hama no adanami wa kakeji ya sode no nure mo koso sure | By repute Upon Takashi Beach Break faithless waves, so Had I not better keep away? Lest my sleeves Should end up soaked! |
18[1]
[1] This poem is attributed to Kii, from the residence of Imperial Princess Sukeko 祐子内親王家紀伊 in Hyakunin isshu (72).
ながれ出づるしづくに袖は朽ちはてておそふる方もなきぞかなしき
nagare’izuru shizuku ni sode wa kuchihatete osouru kata mo naki zo kanashiki | Flowing out These droplets my sleeves Have completely rotted, and That I have no way to halt them Makes me sad, indeed. |
The Major Controller of the Left
7
おく網のうけもひかれぬものゆゑに何かはあまの袖のくつらん
oku tsuna no uke mo hikarenu mono yue ni nani ka wa ama no sode no kutsuran | Cast out, your line’s Floats, she’ll not draw in, So Why would a fisher-girl Have rotten sleeves, I wonder? |
Yurika, from the Hall of the Junior Consort
8
しぐれの雨木の葉ばかりを染めくればかづきし袖は色もかはらず
shigure no ame ko no ha bakari o somekureba kazukishi sode wa iro mo kawarazu | Showers of rain Simply, the trees’ leaves Do dye, so My drenched sleeves Hue remains unchanged. |
Ryūgen
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
haru no tatsu kasumi no koromo ura mo naku toshi o hete koso hana no chirikere | Spring does sew A robe of haze Without an underlay, The year passes by in A scattering of blossom |
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
haru no no no yuki ma o wakete itsushika to kimi ga tame to zo wakana tsumitsuru | Across the springtime meadows Do I forge between the snows, Eagerly, so eagerly, For you, my Lord, Have I gathered fresh herbs! |
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
harugasumi kasumi kometaru yamazato wa kōri toku tomo kage wa mieji o | The haze of spring Blurs all around A mountain retreat, Even were the ice to melt I could see no sign of it! |
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
ume ga e ni ki’iru uguisu toshigoto ni hana no nioi o akanu koesuru | Upon the plum tree’s branches Has come to rest the warbler; Every single year, that Of the blossoms’ scent He cannot get his fill he sings. |
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
sakurairo ni hana saku ame wa furinu tomo chishio zo somete utsurou na sode | Cherry-coloured Blossoms flower, as the rain Falls on, yet Dyed a thousand times Fade not, o, my sleeves! |
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
aoyagi no ito harubaru to midori naru yukusue made mo omoi koso yare | The willow’s Branches dangle lengthily So green Right to the very end Will I fondly think of you. |
6
A miscellaneous winter poem.
我が袖に霰た走る巻き隠し消たずてあらむ妹が見むため
wa ga sode ni arare tapasiru makikakusi kedazute aramu imo ga mimu tame | Upon my sleeves The hailstones strike; I’ll wrap them and hide them away That they not melt, and Show them to my darling. |
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
Topic unknown.
思ひつつねなくにあくる冬の夜の袖の氷はとけずもあるかな
omoFitutu nenaku ni akuru Fuyu no yo no sode no koFori wa tokezu mo aru kana | Filled with passionate thoughts, Sleepless until dawn, On a winter’s night The ice upon my sleeves Shows no sign of melting. |
Anonymous
'Simply moving and elegant'