1009 Hatsuse River—Where ancient waters flowBeside the two-trunk tree When years have passedI hope we’ll meet againBeside the two-trunk tree はつせ河ふるかはのべにふたもとあるすぎ年をへて又もあひ見むふたもとあるすぎ Haru sarebaNobe ni mazu sakuMiredo akanu hanaMainashi niTada nanoru bekiHana no na nare ya Author unknown. The two-trunk cedar tree, the pairing with the …
Read MoreKokinshu 1008 – "When Spring Arrives"
1008 When spring arrivesAnd fields begin to bloomIf you see a flowerThat’s just a sproutMere whispers are bestUntil it’s out 春さればのべにまづさく見れどあかぬ花まひなしにただなのるべき花のななれや Haru sarebaNobe ni mazu sakuMiredo akanu hanaMainashi niTada nanoru bekiHana no na nare ya Author unknown. A reply to a poem #1007. He …
Read MoreKokinshu 1007 – "Slipping Away"
1007 Slipping away,The one I love—As I am broken. What’s the flowerThat bloomed in whiteWhen we were one? うちわたすをち方人に物まうすわれそのそこにしろくさけるはなにの花ぞも UchiwatasuOchikatabito niMono mousu wareSono soko niShiroku sakeru waNani no hana zo mo Author unknown. As the poet’s lover has not visited recently, the poet complains and …
Read MoreFujiwara no Kotonao, “Is it spring?”
Translation At the beginning of spring Is it spring? The plums bloom late And not even The warblers Will sing their tune. Japanese Pronunciation ふぢはらのことなほ Fujiwara no Kotonao はるやとき Haru ya toki 花やおそきと Hana ya osoki to ききわかむ Kikiwakan 鶯だにも Uguisu dani mo なかずもあるかな Nakazu …
Read MoreKi no Tsurayuki’s “The fallen flowers weep” (Kokinshu #9)
Translation On snow falling Spring mist sweeps Through budding leaves, But in the village Where the snow fell The fallen flowers weep. Japanese Pronunciation きのつらゆき Ki no Tsurayuki 霞たち Kasumi tachi このめもはるの Ko no me mo haru no 雪ふれば Yuki fureba 花なきさとも Hana naki sato …
Read MoreFunya no Yasuhide’s “Touched by the light of a spring day” (Kokinshu #8)
Translation On the third day of the New Year, Empress Nijou, then known as the Mother of the Crown Prince, summoned Yasuhide to receive her requests. As he bowed before her, she saw snow falling on his head while the sun was shining. She ordered …
Read MoreAuthor unknown, “How deep was the dye of my longing” (Kokinshu #7)
Translation How deep was the dye Of my longing: A flower appeared, I went to pluck, And found just lingering snow. Commentary There was a note that said the former Chancellor, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, may have written the poem. The poem describes the narrator having …
Read MoreMonk Sosei’s “Snow on the branches where the cuckoo sings” (Kokinshu #6)
Translation Poem of the snow that falls on trees As spring begins The white flowers we see May just be the snow On the bough Where the cuckoo sings Commentary From a distance, one cannot tell the difference between the white flowers on a mountain …
Read MoreAuthor unknown, “The cuckoo sings and cries” (Kokinshu #5)
Translation Spring begins though Snow is falling still: The cuckoo Sings a cry On the plum tree bough. Commentary This poem is set in the beginning of spring, though winter lingers through falling snow. The key wordplay here is “naku,” which can mean either “to …
Read MoreFujiwara Takaiko’s “The bush warbler’s frozen tears” (Kokinshu #4)
Translation Nijou consort’s “beginning of spring” poem Spring begins In the midst of snow: Perhaps now, at last, The bush warbler’s Frozen tears will melt. Commentary Fujiwara Takaiko was the Consort of Emperor Seiwa. After an affair with the priest Zenyuu she was demoted, but …
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