Chapter One
Collection of Early and Modern Japanese Poetry * * *
BOOK ONE
SPRING (1)
1. Ariwara Motokata. Composed on a day when spring arrived during the old year
toshi no uchi ni Springtime has arrived haru wa kinikeri while the old year lingers on. hitotose o What then of the year? kozo to ya iwamu Are we to talk of "last year"? kotoshi to ya iwamu Or are we to say "this year"?
2. Ki no Tsurayuki. Composed on the first day of spring
sode hijite On this first spring day musubishi mizu no might warm breezes be melting koreru o the frozen waters haru tatsu kyo no I scooped up, cupping my hands kaze ya tokuramu and letting my sleeves soak through?
3. Anonymous. Topic unknown
harugasumi Where are we to seek tateru ya izuko the layered haze of springtime miyoshino no while snow still falls yoshino no yama ni in the hills of Yoshino, yuki wa furitsutsu the hills of fair Yoshino?
4. A poem by the Nijo Empress (Koshij on the beginning of spring
yuki no uchi ni Springtime has arrived haru wa kinikeri while fallen snow lingers on. uguisu no Ah, now at long last koreru namida the warbler''s frozen teardrops ima ya tokuramu will surely be dissolving.
5. Anonymous. Topic unknown
ume ga e ni O warbler perching kiiru uguisu on a bough of the plum tree, haru kakete you come with your song nakedomo imada to welcome in the springtime, yuki wa furitsutsu yet snowflakes still flutter down.
6. Monk Sosei. On fallen snow clinging to a tree
haru tateba Now that spring has come, hana to ya miramu does he mistake them for flowers- shirayuki no the warbler singing kakareru eda ni among branches deep-laden uguisu no naku with mounds of snowy white flakes?
7. Anonymous. Topic unknown
kokorozashi That I should mistake fukaku somete shi lingering snowflakes for flowers- orikereba might it be because kieaenu yuki no my longing was so fervent hana to miyuramu when I broke off the branches?
According to some, this poem was composed by the Former Chancellor.
8. Fun''ya no Yasuhide. On the Third of a certain First Month, the Nijo Empress [Kosbi], who was then known as the Mother of the Crown Prince [Emperor Yozei], summoned Yasuhide to receive some instructions. As be bowed below her veranda, she observed that snow was falling on his bead while the sun was shining. She commanded him to compose a poem.
barn no hi no Rare is the fortune hikari ni ataru of one who basks in the sun ware naredo on this springtime day, kashira no yuki to yet how can I not lament naru zo wabishiki that snow should whiten my head?
9. Ki no Tsurayuki. On a snowfall
kasumi tachi When snow comes in spring- ko no me mo haru no fair season of layered haze yuki fureba and burgeoning buds- hana naki sato mo flowers fall in villages hana zo chirikeru where flowers have yet to bloom.
10. Fujiwara Kotonao. A poem recited at the beginning of spring
haru ya toki Has spring come early hana ya osoki to or might the blossoms be late? kikiwakamu There is no answer- uguisu dani mo not even from the warbler, nakazu mo aru ka na who could tell me if he would.
11. Mibu no Tadamine. A poem on the beginning of spring
haru kinu to Springtime has arrived, hito wa iedomo so everyone says-and yet uguisu no I cannot but feel nakanu kagiri wa there will be no spring until araji to zo omou the warbler bursts into song.
12. Minamoto Masazumi. A poem from the Empress''s Contest during the reign of the Kanpyo Emperor (Uda]
tanikaze ni Might they perhaps be tokuru kori no the first blossoms of springtime- hima goto ni those waves bursting forth uchiizuru nami ya through each crevice in the ice haru no hatsuhana melting in the valley breeze?
13. Ki no Tomonori [Same headnote as 12]
hana no ka o To a wind letter kaze no tayori ni I will attach the fragrance taguete zo of blossoming plum uguisu sasou and let it become a guide shirube ni wa yaru to lure the warbler forth.
14. Oe no Chisato [Same headnote as 12]
uguisu no If there were no songs tani yori izuru of warblers venturing forth koe naku wa from their valley homes, haru kuru koto o would anyone be aware tare ka shiramashi of the coming of springtime?
15. Ariwara Muneyana [Same headnote as 12]
haru tatedo Though springtime has come, hana mo niowanu the sound of the warbler''s voice yamazato wa is plaintive indeed, monoukaru ne ni for in the mountain village uguisu zo naku not even the plum has bloomed.
16. Anonymous. Topic unknown
nobe chikaku My house is not far iei shi sereba from where the broad flatlands stretch, uguisu no and thus I can hear naku naru koe wa the pure voice of the warbler asa na asa na kiku morning after morning.
17. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
kasugano wa Light no fires today kyo wa na yaki so on the plain of Kasuga, wakakusa no for sweet as new grass tsuma mo komoreri my young spouse is hidden here ware mo komoreri and I am hidden here too.
18. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
miyama ni wa Deep in the mountains matsu no yuki dani snowflakes have yet to vanish kienaku ni even from pine trees, miyako wa nobe no yet down in the capital wakana tsumikeri people are picking young greens.
19. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
kasugano no Go outside and look, tobuhi no nomori guardian of Beacon-Fire Field idete mi yo on Kasuga plain: ima ikuka arite how many more days must pass wakana tsumitemu before we may pick young greens?
20. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
azusayumi Today there fell rains oshite harusame of spring, season recalling kyo furinu tautened birchwood bows. asu sae furaba If they but fall tomorrow, wakana tsumitemu we will be picking young greens.
21. Sent to someone with young greens by the Ninna Emperor [Koko] when he was a Prince
kimi ga tame For your sake alone, haru no no ni idete I went forth to springtime fields wakana tsumu and plucked these young greens wa ga koromode ni while snow fell unceasingly yuki wa furitsutsu onto the sleeve of my robe.
22. Tsurayuki. Composed by command
kasugano no Are they on their way wakana tsumi ni ya to pick young greens in the fields shirotae no at Kasugano- sode furihaete those girls who call each other hito no yukuramu with the sleeves of their white robes?
23. Ariwara Yukihira no Ason. Topic unknown
haru no kiru Fragile is the weft kasumi no koromo of the haze-fashioned raiment nuki o usumi in which spring is robed: yamakaze ni koso it will be ripped into shreds midarubera nare by the wind from the mountain.
24. Minamoto Muneyuki no Ason. A poem recited at the Empress''s Contest during the reign of the Kanpyo Emperor [Uda]
tokiwa naru Even the verdure matsu no midori mo of foliage on the pine tree, haru kureba "ever unchanging," ima hitoshio no deepens into new richness iro masarikeri now that springtime has arrived.
25. Tsurayuki. Composed by command
wa ga seko ga Now it is springtime koromo harusame (minding of my man''s stretched robes), furu goto ni and with each soft rain nobe no midori zo the hue of the sloping plains iro masarikeru has been dyed a deeper green.
26. [Tsurayuki. Composed by command]
aoyagi no How strange that the spring ito yorikakuru when young green willow branches haru shi mo zo twist together threads midarete hana no should be the time when blossoms hokorobinikeru burst in tangles from their coats.
27. Archbishop Henjo. A willow near the Saidaiji
asamidori It twists together ito yorikakete leafy threads of tender green shiratsuyu o and fashions jewels tama ni mo nukeru by piercing clear, white dewdrops- no yanagi ka the willow tree in springtime.
28. Anonymous. Topic unknown
momochidori In springtime, season saezuru haru wa of joyous bird choruses, mono goto ni new youth is granted aratamaredomo all living things-yet for me ware zo furiyuku there is no end to aging.
29. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
ochikochi no Deep in the mountains, tazuki mo shiranu where travelers cannot tell yamanaka ni which way might be best, obotsukanaku mo how forlorn is the sound yobukodori ka na of a questing bird''s sad call.
30. Oshikochi Mitsune. On hearing the call o f a wild goose and thinking of a friend who had gone to Koshi
haru kureba Now that spring has come kari kaeru nari the wild geese seem to be off, shirakumo no winging their way home. michiyukiburi ni Would that they might bear tidings koto ya tsutemashi as they fly the white cloud path.
31. Ise. Homing wild geese
harugasumi That wild geese depart tatsu o misutete ignoring the arrival yuku kari wa of the springtime haze- hana naki sato ni is it because they dwell sumi ya naraeru in realms where flowers never bloom?
32. Anonymous. Topic unknown
oritsureba My sleeve is fragrant sode koso nioe just because I plucked a spray. ume no hana Does the warbler think, ari to ya koko ni "I have found a plum in bloom," uguisu no naku that he comes here with his song?
33. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
iro yori mo More than the color ka koso aware to it is the fragrance I find omoyure a source of delight. to ga sode fureshi Whose sleeve might have brushed against yado no ume zo mo the plum tree beside my house?
34. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
yado chikaku I will never plant ume no hana ueji a flowering plum near my house: ajiki naku it is too vexing matsu hito no ka ni to find myself mistaking this ayamatarekeri for the scent of one I await.
35. [Anonymous. Topic unknown]
ume no hana I stopped but briefly tachiyoru bakari beside the plum tree in bloom- arishi yori yet since then, I find, hito no togamuru the fragrance of my garments ka ni zo shiminuru calls forth someone''s reproaches.
36. The Higashisanjo Minister of the Left [Minamoto Tokiwa]. On breaking off a twig of a flowering plum
uguisu no To conceal old age, kasa ni nuu cho I will decorate my head ume no hana with blossoming plum orite kazasamu such as warblers are said to use oi kakuru ya to in fashioning their bonnets.
37. Monk Sosei. Topic unknown
yoso ni nomi Blossoms of the plum aware to zo mishi admired only from afar: ume no hana I plucked you-and now akanu iro ka wa I know the fascination orite narikeri of your color and fragrance.
38. Tomonori. On breaking off plum blossoms and sending them to someone
kimi narade Blossoms of the plum! tare ni ka misemu To whom am I to show them nine no hana unless it be to you- iro o mo ka o mo you who alone can savor shiru hito zo shiru color and fragrance alike?
39. Tsurayuki. Composed at Kurabuyama
ume no hana When springtime blossoms niou harube wa glow on the flowering plum, kurabuyama we know it at once, yami ni koyuredo though we travel without light shiruku zo arikeru across the Hill of Darkness.
40. Mitsune. When someone said, "Break off some plum blossoms for me" on a moonlit night, be composed this as be did so.
tsukiyo ni wa Blossoms of the plum sore to mo miezu merging with the radiance ume no hana of a moonlit night: ka o tazunete zo if we would make sure of them, shirubekarikeru we must seek out their fragrance.
41. [Mitsune] Plum blossoms on a spring night
haru no yo no Ineffectual yami wa ayanashi the darkness of this spring night: ume no hana true, we cannot see iro koso miene the bloom of the flowering plum, ka ya wa kakururu but can its scent be hidden?
42. Tsurayuki. After a good deal of time had passed, he stopped again at a house where he had been accustomed to spending the night whenever he made a pilgrimage to Hatsuse. The owner said to him, "As you see, there is a perfectly good place to spend the night here." He broke off a blossoming branch from a plum tree nearby and composed this poem.
hito wa isa I know but little kokoro mo shirazu of what is in someone''s heart, furusato wa yet at the old place hana zo mukashi no the fragrance of the blossoms ka ni nioikeru is the scent of bygone days.
43. Ise. Plum trees blossoming near a stream
haru goto ni Shall I each springtime nagaruru kawa o see flowery shadows floating hana to mite on the flowing stream, orarenu mizu ni and drench my sleeve in water sode ya nurenamu that refuses to be plucked?
44. [Ise. Plum trees blossoming near a stream]
toshi o here Is it called clouded hana no kagami to when petals dust its surface- naru mizu wa this stream that becomes chiri kakaru o ya a mirror for plum blossoms kumoru to iuramu year after departing year?
45. Tsurayuki. On the scattering of plum blossoms from a tree near his house
kuru to aku to Blossoms of the plum: me karenu mono o I gazed at them by twilight ume no hana and in the whitening dawn. itsu no hitoma ni During what fleeting absence utsuroinuramu did they find time to scatter?
46. Anonymous. A poem from the Empress''s Contest during the reign of the Kanpyo Emperor [Uda]
ume ga ka o If we might transfer sode ni utsushite plum-blossom scent to a sleeve todometeba and detain it there, haru wa sugu tomo we would have a memento katami naramashi though springtime were to pass.
47. Monk Sosei [Same headnote as 46]
chiru to mite It would have been best arubeki mono o simply to watch them scatter- ume no hana now, alas, the scent utate nioi no from the blossoms of the plum sode ni tomareru still lingers upon my sleeve.
48. Anonymous. Topic unknown
chirinu tomo If you must scatter, ka o dani nokose O blossoms of the plum tree, ume no hana leave at least your scent, koishiki toki no that we may have a keepsake omoide ni semu for solace when we miss you.
49. Tsurayuki. On seeing cherry blossoms for the first time on a tree planted at someone''s house
kotoshi yori Blossoming cherry haru shirisomuru who have just this year begun sakurabana to understand spring- chiru to iu koto wa would that you might never learn narawazaranamu the meaning of scattering.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Kokin Wakashu Copyright © 1985 by Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University . Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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