When the autumn wind was blowing coldly, around the time his wife passed away. 思ひきや秋のよ風のさむけきにいもなきとこにひとりねむとは How unexpected is The autumn night’s wind, So cold upon My bed where, without my darling I must sleep alone. Senior Assistant Governor General Kuni’akira Shūishū XX: 1285

In the summer, he sent this to his daughter, the Fifth Imperial Princess, attached to some lingering yellowed oak leaves.

Sent to a lady’s residence with some morning glory blooms. あさがほを何はかなしと思ひけん人をも花はさこそ見るらめ Morning glories: Why so fleeting Do we think them? People, too, the flowers See as just the same… Lord Fujiwara no Michinobu Shūishū XX: 1283

The year after his son Fukutari had died after planting some sweet-flags in the stream of their garden, when he saw them growing up.

While gazing at the blossom, after Middle Counsellor Atsutada has passed away, and various people had gone to a mountain retreat at Nishisakamoto on Mount Hiei.

桜花にほふものから露けきはこのめも物を思ふなるべし The cherry blossoms Shine, yet Dew-drenched are The buds—eyes filled with gloomy Thoughts. Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu Shūishū XX: 1277

花の色もやども昔のそれながらかはれる物は露にぞ有りける The blossom’s hues and The mansion, too, as long ago Remain, but Changed are The ever-falling dewdrops. Kiyowara no Motosuke Shūishū XX: 1276

おもかげに色のみのこる桜花いく世の春をこひむとすらん Of her face Only your hue remains, O, cherry blossom— For how many ages’ springtimes Will I yearn for her so? Taira no Kanemori Shūishū XX: 1275

In the spring of the year following his daughter’s death, when the cherry blossom was in full bloom, he was gazing on the blossom at his house and, with others, composed on the topic of ‘expressing a little of one’s feelings’.

On seeing cherry blossom blooming やどにあるさくらの花は咲きにけり千とせの春もつねかくしみん At my house The cherry blossom Has bloomed— Over a thousand years of springtimes I would I could behold it thus! Kinkai wakashū 670

Composed on seeing plum blossom displayed in a vase. たまだれのこがめにさせる梅のはなよろづ代ふべきかざしなりけり Hung with jewels, This little flask holds within Plum blossom: It must have spent ten thousand ages To become a garland for my hair. Kinkai wakashū 669

During the reign of the Kanpyō emperor, the gentlemen in service to His Majesty, sent a sake jar to the ladies waiting upon Her Majesty, the empress, with a request for some leftover imperial sake.

On Moss and Felicitations. いはにむす苔のみどりのふかき色をいく千世までと誰かそめけん Clinging to the crags Is the moss so green: Its hue, so deep, Over how many thousand ages, Who might it have begun to dye? Kinkai wakashū 668

あひおひの袖のふれにしやどの竹よよはへにけりわがともとして Growing together, Brushing my sleeves, The bamboo at my house Has passed through the ages— My friend, it is. Kinkai wakashū 667

When His Majesty was yet a prince and had paid a visit to the Toba Palace to converse the Hachijō’in Princess, Her Highness recited, ‘The bamboo has been my friend these many years,’ so His Majesty composed a poem [along with others present].

なよ竹のちぢのさ枝のはは枝のそのふしふしによよはこもれり The young bamboo has A thousand, thousand branches Dividing from each other, All of their joints Encompass many ages. Kinkai wakashū 666

なよ竹のななのももそぢおいぬれどやそのちふしは色もかはらず The young bamboo Seven hundred years of Age has reached, yet O’er eighty thousand joints Will its hues remain unchanged! Kinkai wakashū 665

Bamboo and Felicitations. 竹の葉にふりおほふ雪のうれをおもみしたにも千世の色はかくれず The bamboo leaves Are covered with fallen snow, Tips so heavy, but Beneath, a thousand ages Hue cannot be concealed. Kinkai wakashū 664

Topic unknown. ささのはにふりつむ雪のうれをおもみ本くだちゆくわがさかりはも The dwarf bamboo leave are Piled with fallen snow, Tips so heavy that They droop down to the roots— So, too, my prosperity! Anonymous Kokinshū XVII: 891

For a painting on a sliding door where there was a pine growing on the crags. 岩のうへにおふる小松の年もへぬいく千代までと契り置きけん Atop the crag Growing, a pine seedling: that ‘Twould pass through the years, Until it reach a thousand ages— It seems a vow was made. Kinkai wakashū 663

くらゐ山木だかくならん松にのみやほ万代と春風ぞふく On Mount Kurai Tall will become the pines trees ‘Simply wait Eight million ages,’ whispers The gusting breeze of spring! Kinkai wakashū 662

ゆく末のちとせをこめて春霞たつたの山に松風ぞふく The future for A thousand years contained within The haze of spring: On the mount of Tatsuta The wind blows through the pines! Kinkai wakashū 661

Topic unknown. ゆかむ人こん人しのべ春がすみたつたの山のはつさくら花 Folk who go And those who come, secretly do dwell upon The haze of spring Over Mount Tatsuta’s First flowering cherry blossoms. Middle Counsellor Yakamochi Shinkokinshū I: 85

すみの江におふてふ松の枝しげみ葉ごとに千代の数ぞこもれる At Suminoe Grow, they say, pines with Boughs so lush: Every single needle, a thousand ages’ in Number does contain! Kinkai wakashū 660

ゆくすゑもかぎりはしらずすみよしの松にいくよの年かへぬらん Even the future’s Limits are unknown for Sumiyoshi’s Pines—how many ages and Years might they pass through? Kinkai wakashū 659

Topic unknown. 我見てもひさしく成りぬ住の江の岸の姫松いくよへぬらむ Even to my sight Eternal are Suminoe’s Princess pines upon the shore: How many ages have they passed through? Anonymous Kokinshū XVII: 905

君が代はなほしもつきじ住吉の松はももたびおひかはるとも My Lord’s reign Shall never yet end! Though Sumiyoshi’s Pines a hundred times Regrow! Kinkai wakashū 658

Composed for the Palace Poetry Match in Shōryaku 2 [1078]. 君が世はつきじとぞおもふかみかぜやみもすそ川のすまむかぎりは My Lord’s reign Shall never end, I feel! While beneath the divine winds The Mimosuso River Is clear! Minister of Justice Tsunenobu Goshūishū VII: 450

On Felicitations and Pines. たづのゐるながらのはまのはま松のまつとはなしに千世をこそふれ Cranes rest Upon the long beach at Nagara, where Beach-pines Pine not through A thousand ages passing! Kinkai wakashū 657

たづのゐるながらのはまの浜風に万代かけて波ぞよすなる Cranes rest Upon the long beach at Nagara, where With the beach-breeze O’er ten thousand ages The waves roll in! Kinkai wakashū 656

Composed on the bridge at Nagara. 春の日のながらのはまに舟とめていづれか橋と問へどこたへぬ In the springtime sun At the beach of Nagara I halted my boat; ‘Where is the bridge?’ I Asked, yet answer came there none. Dharma Master Egyō Shinkokinshū XVII: 1595

Topic unknown. おきつかぜ夜半にふくらし難波がたあか月かけて浪ぞよすなる The wind from out the offing Has blown throughout the night, it seems: At Naniwa Inlet With the break of dawn The waves roll in! Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Sadayori Shinkokinshū XVII: 1597

Topic unknown. おとにきく人に心をつくばねのみねどこひしききみにもあるかな By word, alone, A lady did my heart Attract—as the high peak of Tsukuba Unseen yet, so dear: ‘Tis you, indeed! Anonymous Shūishū XI: 627

Topic unknown. あふことを松にて年のへぬるかな身は住の江におひぬものゆゑ For a meeting I have Pined through the years Passing! Though at Suminoe I grow not! Anonymous Shūishū XI: 626

Topic unknown. なげきあまりつひに色にぞいでぬべきいはぬを人のしらばこそあらめ My grief so great that At last its passionate hue Would emerge, but Were I silent would she Know it, then t’would be better so… Anonymous Shūishū XI: 625

Sent to a woman’s residence at the beginning. しのぶるも誰ゆゑならぬ物なれば今は何かは君にへだてむ Keeping my longing secret— For no other but you Would I, so Now what is the Barrier in your heart? Taira no Kinmasa Shūishū XI: 624

From a poetry match during the reign of the Tenryaku Emperor. こひすてふわがなはまだきたちにけり人しれずこそ思ひそめしか That I love her has A rumour so swiftly Arisen, though Unknown to all Did passion’s fires begin to burn… Mibu no Tadami Shūishū XI: 621

On the conception of felicitation. ひめしまの小松がうれにゐるたづは千とせふれども年おいずけり Among Himeshima’s Pine seedling shoots Rest cranes: A thousand year may pass, yet They’ll not age through the years. Kinkai wakashū 655

[One of] two poems composed to express his grief and sorrow by Kawabe no Miyahito when he saw the coffin of a young girl in the pine groves of Himeshima in Wadō 4 [711].

Composed on the conception of the essential nature of things. 神といひ仏といふも世中の人の心のほかのものかは What we call God, and What we call Buddha, too— In this mundane world ‘Tis in the human heart that They are and nowhere else, are they? Kinkai wakashū 654

A poem on how Mahāyāna develops the viewpoint of the Middle Way. 世の中はかがみにうつるかげにあれやあるにもあらずなきにもあらず Is this mundane world A mirror’s reflected Shape, perhaps? Not existing, and Not not existing… Kinkai wakashū 653

A poem on accumulated sins. ほのほのみ虚空にみてる阿鼻地獄ゆくへもなしといふもはかなし Flames alone Fill the skies of The lowest hell— No other destination have I, So sad to say… Kinkai wakashū 652

A poem of penitence. 塔をくみ堂をつくるも人のなげき懺悔にまさるくどくやはある Building stupa and Erecting temples, but For a man to grieve In penitence is better far, and Will attract the Buddha’s blessing? Kinkai wakashū 651

A poem pleading for the Buddha’s blessing. 大日の種子よりいでてさまや形さまやぎやう又尊形となる Mahāvairocana is The source from which emerges All manifestations of salvation Thus, manifestations of salvation Are all hallowed, indeed! Kinkai wakashū 650

みづがきの久しき世よりゆふだすきかけし心は神ぞしるらん Sacred, the jewelled fences, Since all the ages past With mulberry cords Bound, my heart The god does surely know! Kinkai wakashū 649

さとみこがみゆたてざさのそよそよになびきおきふしよしや世中 A local shrine maiden Purifies bamboo with sacred hot waters, Back and forth the leaves Trail, falling and rising— Indeed, that’s how this world is! Kinkai wakashū 648

When I had composed a large number of poems on Shintō themes. かみつけのせたのあかぎのからやしろやまとにいかであとをたれけん In Kamitsuke, At Seta lies Akagi’s Cathay-style shrine— Why, in the land of Yamato Might the Buddhas manifest there? Kinkai wakashū 647

Composed on Shintō in relation to ancient estates. 磯のかみふるきみやこは神さびてたたるにしあれや人もかよはぬ Here at Isonokami The ancient capital was Touched by the divine: Was it cursed, perhaps, so Folk no longer travel there? Kinkai wakashū 646

Composed at the Iso no Kami temple in Nara on hearing the cuckoo sing. いその神ふるき宮この郭公聲ばかりこそむかしなりけれ Here at Iso no Kami In the ancient capital The cuckoo’s Call alone Is as of old. Dharma Master Sosei Kokinshū III: 144

The wind through the pines at a shrine. ふりにけるあけの玉牆神さびてやれたるみすに松風ぞふく Ancient are The vermillion jewelled fences Touched with divinity, The broken beaded curtains Stir in the wind from off the pines. Kinkai wakashū 645