Wednesday, August 20, 2008

#19 Iady Ise



Ise

Naniwa gata
Mijikaki ashi no
Fushi no ma mo
Awade kono yo o
Sugushite yo to ya


Lady Ise

Even for a time
Short as a piece of the reeds
In Naniwa's marsh,
We must never meet again:
Is this what you are asking me?


(comment)
Naniwa's marsh is a part of present osaka bay.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

#18 Fujiwara no Toshiyuki



Fujiwara no Toshiyuki Ason

Sumi no e no
Kishi ni yoru nami
Yoru sae ya
Yume no kayoi ji
Hito me yoku ran


Fujiwara no Toshiyuki

The waves are gathered
On the shore of Sumi Bay,
And in the gathered night,
When in dreams I go to you,
I hide from people's eyes.


(comment)
Toshiyuki expressed the sadness that the lady who he loved didn't appear in his dream.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

#17 Ariwara no Narihira



Ariwara no Narihira Ason

Chihayaburu
Kamiyo mo kikazu
Tatsuta-gawa
Kara kurenai ni
Mizu kukuru to wa


Ariwara no Narihira

Even when the gods
Held sway in the ancient days,
I have never heard
That water gleamed with autumn red
As it does in Tatta's stream

  
(comment)
Narihira expressed the beautiful patterns with autumnal red leaves that flow on the water of the river.

Friday, August 1, 2008

#16 Ariwara no Yukihira



Chunagon Yukihira

Tachi wakare
Inaba no yama no
Mine ni oru
Matsu to shi kikaba
Ima kaeri kon


Ariwara no Yukihira

Though we are parted,
If on Mount Inaba's peak
I should hear the sound
Of the pine trees growing there,
I'll come back again to you.


(comment)
Yukihira composed this poem before he leave the capital.
"pine-tree"(matsu) and "wait"(matsu) are homophone in Japanese.So, the meaning that "If you will be waiting for me,I,ll come back" is hidding in the poem.