treetops | Waka Poetry

Autumn

Left

秋の夜の有明にみれど久堅の月のかつらはうつろはぬかな

aki no yo no
ariake ni miredo
hisakata no
tsuki no katsura wa
utsurouwanu kana

An autumn night’s
Dawn I see, yet
The eternal
Moon’s silver trees
Show no sign of fading!

秋萩の花咲く比の白露は下ばのためとわきて置くべし

aki hagi no
hana saku koro no
shiratsuyu wa
shitaba no tame to
wakite okubeshi

In autumn, the bush clover
Flowers bloom—just then
Silver dewdrops
For the under-leaves
Do fall, marking every one.

秋風はいなばもそよとふきつめりかりみる程と成りやしぬらん

akikaze wa
inaba mo soyo to
fukitsumeri
kari miru hodo to
nari ya shinuran

The autumn breeze
Seems to rustle the rice stalks
As it blows;
Seeing if ‘tis time to reap them—
Is that what it is, I wonder?

Right

銀河とわたる舟は花薄ほにいづるほどぞかげもみゆべき

ama no kawa
towataru fune wa
hanasusuki
ho ni izuru hodo zo
kage mo miyubeki

Across the River of Heaven
A boat goes ferrying:
When the silver grass
Ears burst into bloom,
Can its shape be seen.

女郎花さがの花をば色ながら秋をさかりといはれずもがな

ominaeshi
saga no hana oba
iro nagara
aki o sakari to
iwarezu mogana

Maidenflowers:
Blossoms from Saga
Reveal their hues, and
In autumn are most fine—that
Goes without saying!

小男鹿の朝たつ霧にうりふ山嶺の梢は色こかりけり

saoshika no
asa tatsu kiri ni
urifuyama
mine no kozue wa
iro kokarikeri

Stags
Within the rising morning mist on
Urifu Moutain, where
The treetops on the peak
Have taken darker hues.

Distant colours of blossom in full bloom

Left

なつかしきかこそ袖までにほふなれ花の木ずゑは遥かなれども

natsukashiki
ka koso sode made
niou nare
hana no kozue wa
harukanaredomo

That comforting, familiar
Fragrance has reached my very sleeves
And scented them;
Though the blossom-laden treetops
Lie far away…

Minamoto no Masamitsu, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Medicine
7

Right

花ざかりさきそめしよりあかなくによその梢を折りつつぞみる

hanazakari
sakisomeshi yori
akanaku ni
yoso no kozue o
oritsutsu zo miru

Since a profusion of blossom
Began to bloom,
Unable to sate myself,
Distant treetops
Will I ever break off and gaze upon.

Minamoto no Masamitsu, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Medicine
8

Waka Poetry