When the Monk Shakushō (d. 1034) went over to China, boarding a ship on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month, Kintō sent him this poem:
天河のちの今日だにはるけきをいつとも知らぬ舟出悲しな
| ama no kaFa noti no keFu dani Farukeki wo itu to mo siranu Funade kanasi na |
The great River of Heaven Divides them ’til this day next year, Far distant; But we-I know not when-so This sailing brings grief, indeed. |
Assistant Commander of the Bodyguards of the Right [Fujiwara no] Kintō (996-1041)
藤原公任
From a folding screen at the Ninna period (885-889) court: a woman bathing in a river on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month.
水のあやをおりたちて着む脱ぎちらしたなばたつめに衣かす夜は
| midu no aya wo oritatite kimu nugitirasi tanabatatume ni koromo kasu yo Fa |
The pattern of the waters Is woven in your garb; Strip it off And to the Weaver Maid Lend your dress tonight. |
From a folding screen with a picture of the moon, in the Engi period (901-23).
たなばたに脱ぎてかしつる唐衣いとゞ涙に袖や濡るらん
| tanabata ni nugite kasituru kara koromo itodo namida ni sode ya nururan |
For the Weaver Maid I’ll doff and proffer her My Chinese robe; What great flow of tears Will wet its sleeves, I wonder. |
Tsurayuki
貫之
Composed on the Sixth day of the Seventh Month on the feelings of Tanabata.
いつしかとまたく心をはぎにあげてあまのかはらをけふやわたらむ
| itusika to mataku kokoro wo Fagi ni agete ama no kaFara wo keFu ya wataramu |
So impatiently Has he waited that Baring his shins in the dawn On Heaven’s River shore Might he cross today? |
Fujiwara no Kanesuke
The prince recited the above poem many times, but was unable to think of a reply so, being one of the party, Aritsune composed this:
ひととせにひとたびきます君まてばやどかす人もあらじとぞ思ふ
| Fito tose ni Fito tabi kimasu kimi mateba yado kasu Fito mo arazi to zo omoFu |
In a single year But once comes The Lord she awaits, so One who provides lodging She is not, I’d say! |
Ki no Aritsune
Once, when he had gone hunting in the company of Prince Koretaka, they dismounted by the banks of a river called Ama no Gawa (River of Heaven), and while they were tippling, the Prince commanded that Narihira offer him a wine cup with a poem expressing the feelings of a hunter arriving at the river of Heaven, so he composed the following:
かりくらしたなばたつめにやどからむあまのかはらに我はきにけり
| kari kurasi tanabatatume ni yado karamu ama no kaFara ni ware Fa kinkeri | While hunting night is falling, So from the Weaver Maid Let us beg lodging For to the Riverbank of Heaven Have we come! |
Ariwara no Narihira
有原業平
Composed on the evening of the Seventh day.
織女にかしつる絲の打ちはへて年のをながくこひやわたらむ
| tanabata ni kasituru ito no utiFaFete tosi no wo nagaku koFi ya wataran |
To the Weaver Maid We offer thread Stretched out A year is far, indeed, Will love span it, I wonder? |
Ōshikōchi no Mitsune (Fl. 898-922)
凡河内 躬恒