A summer poem.
さ月まつをだのますらをいとまなみせきいるる水にかはづ鳴くなり
satsuki matsu oda no masurao itoma nami seki iruru mizu ni kawazu naku nari | Awaiting the Fifth Month The brawny fieldmen, With no time to spare Shift water from the weir where The frogs are crying. |
Composed saying he would pass the barrier at Meeting Hill at night.
あふ坂の関には人もなかりけりいは井の水のもるにまかせて
aFusaka no seki ni Fa Fito mo nakarikeri iFawi no midu no moru ni makasete | At Meeting Hill’s Barrier of folk There is no sign— To the water from the rocky spring’s Guarded dripping is it entrusted… |
Hōribe no Narinaka
Sent when he saw the Tsutsumi Middle Counsellor Lady of the Bedchamber.[1]
あなこひしはつかに人をみづのあわのきえかへるともしらせてしかな
ana koFisi Fatuka ni Fito wo midu no awa no kiekaFeru tomo sirasetesi kana | O, how strong my love! Faintly, a lady Did I see, who as foam upon the water Vanished once more, yet I had to let her know! |
The Ononomiya Palace Minister
[1] A reference to Fujiwara no Sōshi (Kuwako) 藤原桑子 (dates unknown), the daughter of Fujiwara no Kanesuke 藤原兼輔 (877-933), who was an Imperial Concubine to Emperor Daigo 醍醐 (885-930; r 897-930), and the mother of Imperial Prince Nori’akira 章明 (924-990).
Left
さくはなのちりつつうかぶみづのおもにいかでうき草ねざしそめけむ
saku hana no chiritsutsu ukabu mizu no omo ni ikade ukikusa nezashi somekemu | Blossom blooming and Ever scattering, and floating Upon the surface of the water, So why might the waterweed Begin to put down roots? |
76
Right
まつひとはつねならなくにほととぎすおもひのほかになかばうからむ
matsu hito wa tsune naranaku ni hototogisu omoi no hoka ni nakaba ukaramu | The one awaiting you is Ever changing, O, cuckoo, but If, my longing you should not meet With your song, how I will hate you! |
77
Love
Five poems, stopping at five
Left (Win)
なみだがはいかなるみづかながるらんなどわがこひをけすひとのなき
namidagawa ika naru mizu ka nagaruran nado wa ga koi o kesu hito no naki | In the River of Tears What sort of water is it That does flow? Why is it that my love’s burn To extinguish is there no one? |
Okikaze
51
Right
みをもかへおもふものからこひといへばもゆるなかにもいるこころかな
mi o mo kae omou mono kara koi to ieba moyuru naka ni iru kokoro kana | Staking my life is Often in my thoughts, but Within the fires of love, Burning, Does my heart lie! |
Okikaze
52
Left
さよふけてなどかなくらむほととぎすたびねのやどをかすひとやなき
sayo fukete nado ka nakuramu hototogisu tabine no yado o kasu hito ya naki | Brief night breaks, so Why does he cry so? The cuckoo A lodging on his journey Has no one to lend him! |
49
Right (Win)
なつのいけによるべさだめぬうきくさのみづよりほかにゆくかたもなし
natsu no ike ni yorube sadamenu ukikusa no mizu yori hoka ni yuku kata mo nashi | Upon the pond in summer No destination has The waterweed, so Other than the water It has no place to go… |
Okikaze
50