#024 Sugawara no Michizane

Kan Ke

Kono tabi wa
Nusa mo toriaezu
Tamukeyama
Momiji no nishiki
Kami no mani mani



Sugawara no Michizane

At the present time,
Since I could bring no offering,
See Mount Tamuke!
Here are brocades of red leaves,
As a tribute to the gods.


(comment)
Sugawara no Michizane (845-903) was an excellent scholar, poet, and politician.
In nowadays, he is worship as a god of study.

#023 Oe no Chisato

Oe no Chisato

Tsuki mireba
Chiji ni mono koso
Kanashi kere
Waga mi hitotsu no
Aki ni wa aranedo


Oe no Chisato

As I view the moon,
Many things come into my mind,
And my thoughts are sad;
Yet it's not for me alone,
That the autumn time has come.


(comment)
We, Japanese love the moon, and have a sentimental feeling on the moon.

#22 Fun'ya no Yasuhide

Fun'ya no Yasuhide

Fuku kara ni
Aki no kusaki no
Shiorureba
Mube yama kaze o
Arashi to iuran


Fun'ya no Yasuhide

It is by its breath
That autumn's leaves of trees and grass
Are wasted and driven.
So they call this mountain wind
The wild one, the destroyer.


(comment)
kanji-symbol "嵐"(storm) is made up from the element for "山"(mountain) and "風"(wind).

#21 The Monk Sosei

Sosei Hoshi

Ima kon to
Iishi bakari ni
Nagatsuki no
Ariake no tsuki o
Machi izuru kana


The Monk Sosei

Just because she said,
"In a moment I will come,"
I've awaited her
Until the moon of daybreak,
In the long month, has appeared.


(comment)
"Nagatsuki"(in romaji text) means september by lunas calender.

#20 Prince Motoyoshi

Motoyoshi Shinno

Wabi nureba
Ima hata onaji
Naniwa naru
Mi o tsukushite mo
Awan to zo omou


Prince Motoyoshi

In this dire distress
My life is meaningless.
So we must meet now,
Even though it costs my life
In the Bay of Naniwa.


(comment)
I think feelings of love and despair are expressed in this poem.

#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.

#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.