When His Majesty’s gentlemen were composing poems on love and the wind, during the reign of former emperor Toba.
おひかぜに八重のしほぢをこぐ舟のほのかにだにもあひみてしかな
oikaze ni
yae no shioji o
kogu fune no
honoka ni dani mo
aimiteshi kana | The pursuing wind
Tracks ‘cross eightfold tidal paths
To reach the boat a’rowing out,
Its sails, so distant, but
Even a glimpse of you would do! |
Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Morotoki
Composed on plum blossom.
わがやどの八重のこうばいさきにけりしるもしらぬもなべてとはなん
wa ga yado no
yae no kōbai
sakinikeri
shiru mo shiranu mo
nabete towanan | At my house
Eightfold scarlet plum
Has bloomed;
Acquaintances, and not,
All, equally, I would have you come to visit! |
Created with Soan.
Love Separated by Distant Roads 隔遠路恋
白雲の八重なる山はかさぬともこころは空にかよへとほづま
shiragumo no
yae naru yama wa
kasanu tomo
kokoro wa sora ni
kayoe tōzuma | Clouds of white,
Eightfold upon the mountains
Do not lie, yet
My heart, into the skies
Fly back and forth, to my distant love! |
Nakazane
白雲のやへのをちなる国人も今日のみあれにあはぬあらじな
shirakumo no
yae no ochinaru
kunibito mo
kyō no miare ni
awanu araji na |
Beyond clouds of white,
Eightfold the distance where
Provincial folk
For this festive day are
Certain to meet together! |
Fujiwara no Nakazane
藤原仲実
'Simply moving and elegant'
