When there was someone in Koshi of whom he was fond.[1]
秋のよに雁かもなきてわたるなりわが思ふ人の事づてやせし
| aki no yo ni kari kamo nakite watarunaru wa ga omoFu Fito no kotodute ya sesi | On an autumn night Is that the geese a’crying As they pass by? There is one I love— Would you take a message to her? |
Tsurayuki
[1]A minor variant of this poem appears in the ‘Poetry Contest held at Prince Koresada’s House’ (Koresada shinnō-ke uta’awase (43)
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
吹風と谷の水としなかりせば深山がくれの花を見ましや
| Fuku kaze to tani no midu to si nakariseba miyama gakure no Fana wo mimasi ya | The gusting wind and The valley’s waters Were there none, then Hidden in the mountains’ depths These blossoms – would any wish to see them? |
Tsurayuki
Composed when he had gone to a temple in the mountains.
宿りして春の山辺にねたる夜は夢の内にも花ぞちりける
| yadori site Faru no yamabe ni netaru yo Fa yume no uti ni mo Fana zo tirikeru | Lodging here Upon a mountainside in springtime, Sleeping at night Even my dreams are full Of scattered blossom. |
Tsurayuki
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
春の野に若菜つまむと来し物をちりかふ花に道はまどひぬ
| Faru no no ni wakana tumamu to koshi mono wo tirikaFu Fana ni miti Fa madoFinu | To the meadows in springtime Thinking to pick fresh herbs Did I come, but Amongst the scattered blossom Have I lost my way. |
Tsurayuki
Composed as a Spring poem.
三輪山をしかも隠すか春霞人に知られぬはなやさくらむ
| miwayama wo sikamo kakusu ka Farugasumi Fito ni sirarenu Fana ya sakuramu | Miwa Mountain Will you thus conceal, O, haze of spring? Might, unknown to all, Blossoms be blooming there? |
Tsurayuki
A poem from the Poetry Contest held at the Palace of Former Emperor Uda.
さくら花ちりぬるかぜのなごりには水なき空に浪ぞたちける
| sakurabana tirinuru kaze no nagori ni Fa midu naki sora ni nami zo tatikeru | Cherry blossoms Scattered, the wind Leaves a keepsake In the waterless sky of A wave of broken petals. |
Tsurayuki
Composed on returning from an ascent of Mount Hiei.
山たかみ見つつわが来しさくら花風は心にまかすべらなり
| yama takami mitutu wa ga kosi sakurabana kaze Fa kokoro ni makasuberanari | On the mountain’s heights, Did I ever see, when homeward bound, Cherry blossoms, where Now the wind will Do as it wants! |
Tsurayuki
Composed when someone said there was nothing that scattered as swiftly as cherry blossom.
桜花とくちりぬとも思ほえず人の心ぞ風もふきあへぬ
| sakurabana toku tirinu tomo omoFoezu Fito no kokoro zo kaze mo FukiaFenu | Cherry blossoms Are swiftly scattered – I think not, for Folks’ hearts, too Are fluttered by the breeze. |
Tsurayuki
Composed on the scattering of cherry blossoms.
ことならばさかずやはあらぬさくら花見る我さへにしづ心なし
| koto naraba sakazu ya Fa aranu sakurabana miru ware saFe ni sidukokoro nasi | If it could be that You never bloomed at all, O, cherry blossoms, Then at your sight I Would not be so disturbed… |
Tsurayuki
Composed on seeing cherries blooming on a mountain.
春霞なに隠す覧さくら花ちる間をだにもみるべき物を
| Farugasumi nani kakusuramu sakurabana chiru ma wo dani mo mirubeki mono wo | Why should the spring haze So conceal The cherry blossoms, for Their brief instant of scattering at least Is something I would see… |
Tsurayuki