Sunday, July 27, 2008

#15 Emperor koko



Koko Tenno

Kimi ga tame
Haru no no ni idete
Wakana tsumu
Waga koromode ni
Yuki wa furi tsutsu


Emperor Koko

It is for your sake
That I walk the fields in spring,
Gathering green herbs,
While my garment's hanging sleeves
Are speckled with falling snow.


(comment)
At that day, they give present with poem.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

#14 Minamoto no Toru



Kawara no Sadaijin

Michinoku no
Shinobu moji-zuri
Tare yue ni
Midare some ni shi
Ware naranaku ni


Minamoto no Toru

Like Michinoku prints
Of the tangled leaves of ferns,
It is because of you
That I have become confused;
But my love for you remains.


(comment)
Michinoku prints (Shinobu moji-zuri) means a kind of dyeing which form intricate pattern.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

# 13 Emperor Yozei



Yozei In

Tsukuba ne no
Mine yori otsuru
Minano-gawa
Koi zo tsumorite
Fuchi to nari nuru


Emperor Yozei

From Tsukuba's peak
Falling waters have become
Mina's still, full flow:
So my love has grown to be
Like the river's quiet deeps.

(comment)
Mina is a river that flows from Mt. Tsukuba.

Friday, July 18, 2008

#12 The Monk Henjo



Sojo Henjo

Ama tsu kaze
Kumo no kayoiji
Fuki toji yo
Otome no sugata
Shibashi todomen


The Monk Henjo

Let the winds of heaven
Blow through the paths among the clouds
And close their gates.
Then for a while I could detain
These messengers in maiden form.


(comment)
Henjo compare the girls danceing in the court to heavenly maidens.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

#11 Ono no Takamura



Sangi Takamura

Wata no hara
Yasoshima kakete
Kogi idenu to
Hito ni wa tsugeyo
Ama no tsuri bune


Ono no Takamura

Over the wide sea
Towards its many distant isles
My ship sets sail.
Will the fishing boats thronged here
Proclaim my journey to the world?


(comment)
Takamura was given duty as a member of imperial embassy to china.
But he didn't embark the ship.
So, he was banished as a penalty.
In this poem, there is no word which express lonliness.
But I feel lonliness from whole of this poem.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

#10 Semimaru



Semimaru

Kore ya kono
Yuku mo kaeru mo
Wakarete wa
Shiru mo shiranu mo
Osaka no seki


Semimaru

Truly, this is where
Travelers who go or come
Over parting ways--
Friends or strangers--all must meet:
The gate of "Meeting Hill."


(comment)
Meet and separate,The lonliness of the life is expressed in this poem.
But This poem doesn't have dark tune.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

#9 Ono no Komachi



Ono no Komachi

Hana no iro wa
Utsuri ni keri na
Itazura ni
Waga mi yo ni furu
Nagame seshi ma ni


Ono no Komachi

Color of the flower
Has already faded away,
While in idle thoughts
My life passes vainly by,
As I watch the long rains fall.


(comment)
It is telled that Ono no Komachi was a amazing beautiful lady.
She compared life to a flower.