When Dharma Master Sosen (he known as Taneyuki at the time) had gone to Shimōsa, I sent this to him in the Eleventh Month, Kenpō 6 [1218] to say he should return.
恋しともおもはでいはば久かたのあまてる神も空にしるらん
koishi to mo omowade iwaba hisakata no ama teru kami mo sora ni shiruran
That I long for you, Should I not think, but say, The eternal Deity shining in the Heavens, Would know it in the skies.[i]
617
[i] See: Composed on the conception of felicitation for the poetry match held at the residence of His Excellency, Saneyuki. みづがきのひさしかるべき君が代をあまてる神やそらにしるらん mizugaki no / hisashikarubeki / kimi ga yo o / ama teru kami ya / sora ni shiruran ‘As sacred precincts, / Eternal shall be / My Lord’s reign, as / Shining in the Heavens the deity / In the skies must know!’ Fujiwara no Tametada (Kin’yōshū V: 328)
Around autumn, when someone with whom I had been accustomed to speaking had gone somewhere, I took the opportunity to send these by messenger.
うはの空にみし面影をおもひいでて月になれにし秋ぞ恋しき
uwa no sora ni mishi omokage o omoi’idete tsuki ni narenishi aki zo koishiki
In the heavens’ heights The face that once I saw I do recall, and Accustomed to the moon In autumn do I yearn even more…[i]
609
[i] See: On the conception of ‘love, having once met, but no longer’ for the Poetry Match held at the Poetry Office. ゆめかとよみし面影もちぎりしもわすれずながらうつつならねば yume ka to yo / mishi omokage mo / chigiri shi mo / wasurezu nagara / utsutsu naraneba ‘Was it a dream? Or not? / That face I saw, and / His promises, too, / I cannot forget, / Though real they were not…’ The Daughter of Toshinari, Assistant Master of the Dowager Empress Household Office (Shinkokinshū XV: 1391)
I sent this to the residence of someone, who had gone to a distant province, when they had said they’d return around the Eighth Month and there had been no sign of them by the Ninth.
こむとしもたのめぬうはの空にだに秋風ふけばかりはきにけり
komu to shimo tanomenu uwa no sora ni dani akikaze fukeba kari wa kinikeri
That they would come, even I Do not expect of the heights of The heavens, but When the autumn wind has blown, The geese have arrived.[i]
605
[i] See: Love carried on the wind. きくやいかにうはのそらなる風だにもまつにおとするならひありとは kiku ya ika ni / uwa no sora naru / kaze dani mo / matsu ni otosuru / narai ari to wa ‘Do you hear it? Well? / From the heavens’ heights / Even the wind, / To come whispering among the pines / Has grown accustomed.’ Kunaikyō (Shinkokinshū XIII: 1199); and: A poem from the poetry competition at Prince Koresada’s house. 秋風にはつかりがねぞきこゆなるたがたまづさをかけてきつらむ akikaze ni / hatsukari ga ne zo / kikoyunaru / ta ga tamazusa o / kaketekitsuran ‘On the autumn wind / Come the first goose cries. / I hear them; / Whose letters / Do they bring, I wonder?’ Ki no Tomonori (Kokinshū IV: 207)
tabi no sora narenu hanyū no yoru no toko wabishiki made ni moru shigure kana
Beneath a journey’s skies With unfamiliar mud walls Around my bed tonight, Sad and lonely have I become With the shower dripping through![i]
581
[i] See: On disembarking. 旅のそらはにふのこやのいぶせさにふるさといかにこひしかるらん tabi no sora / hanyū no koya no / ibusesa ni / furusato ika ni / koishikaruran ‘Beneath a journey’s skies / Within a mud hut and / Filled with gloom / For my ancient home how much / I do seem to long…’ Captain of the Third Rank Shigehira (Heike monogatari 85)
