Ten 蓮月 Rengetsu Waka

Courtesy of the Robyn Buntin Gallery, we have the pleasure to bring you ten more of Rengetsu’s waka. They have been translated by none other than Sensei John Stevens, Rengetsu expert. Please visit their beautiful website for Rengetsu and other Asian art at   

http://www.robynbuntin.com/

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も々の花  Peach Blossoms for Hinasama Dolls

このとのに　けふ咲く花は

いく春のも々悦の

はじめ　なるん

As an offering today

To this lord and lady

Freshly opened peach blossoms.

The joy of countless springs

Is once again ours.

かかし(kakashi)  Scarecrow

oyamada no

kiri no nakamichi

fumi wakete

hito ku to mi shi wa

kakashi narikeri

Making my way

To Oyamada

Through the foggy fields

The only person I saw

Turned out to be a scarecrow.

かわかぜ (kawakaze)  River Wind 

kawakaze ni

chiru ka to mireba

katsu kie to

me ni mo tamara nu

mizu no awayuki

As a river wind blows

I see flakes fall

But they disappear

From view in an instant

As frothy snow in the water.

ほたる (hotaru)  Fireflies

kagaribi no

kage no kudakuru

kokochi shite

ukawa no sue ni

tobu hotaru kana

Flitting all around

In the shadows cast by

Bonfires hanging from

The cormorant fishing boats

Fireflies want to be part of the spectacle.

あきのひかず (aki no hikazu)  Counting the Days of Autumn 

yamazato no

noki no hitoki no

hatsushio ni

aki no hikazu zo

kazoe rare keru

In this mountain village

A single maple tree by my eaves—

From the first blush of the leaves

I can count the remaining

Days of autumn.

春の末 (haru no sue) Last of Spring 

おく山の花のしら雪ながれ来て春の末汲かわづらのさと

okuyama no

hana no shirayuki

nagare kite

haru no suekumu

kawazura no sato

From deep in the mountains

Petals like white snow

Fall on the surface of the river

Flowing through the village,

Carrying away the last of spring.

かね の おと (kane no oto)  Temple Bell of Kitashiragawa Village

Yoshida yama

matsu no kozue ni

tsuki ochite

Kitashiragawa no

kane no oto kana

On Mount Yoshida

Beyond the tips of pines

The moon has fallen—

In Kitashiragawa

A temple bell sounds.

岡さきのさと (Okazaki no sato)  Okazaki Village  

山畑の　大根のくき二　霜さえて　

朝戸出寒し　岡さきのさと

In the mountain fields

Frost settles down to

The daikon stalks

This freezing morning as I walk

To Okazaki Village.

月 つき の さす (Tsuki no sasu)  Halo of the Moon

Tsuki no sasu

Kasa no shizuka ya

Ochitsuramu

Yoruyuki sode ni

Kakaru shira tsuyu

Wearing the halo

Of the moon as my hat;

Moonbeams drip down

As white dew gradually

Soaks the sleeves of my robe.

ちょう の ゆめ (chou no yume)   Butterfly’s Dream

Umaishite

chou no yume min

nanohana no

mukura ni kaoru

haru no yamazato

I take a nap and

Dream of being a butterfly,

As the fragrance of nanohana perfume my pillow–

Late spring now in this mountain village.

ちょう (Butterfly) by Rengetsu

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Rengetsu 蓮月 Poems in Japanese and English

The poetess Rengetsu, 1791-1875, is the subject of two books by John Stevens (2005, 2014). These poems were found on  www.RobynBuntin.com, translation by John Stevens, ed. by Okunomichi. Page numbers of the poems indicate the pages of the books on which they are found.

   At Fushimi Inari Shrine

いなり山      すぎの下枝ハ     むかしにて     けふはつうまの     いへづとぞ これ

inari yama     sugi no shitae wa     mukashi ni te    kyou hatsu uma no     iezuto zo kore

On Mount Inari     today, as in times past,     worshippers at the Festival of the Horse     carry sacred branches of cedar     home as a good luck charm.

   Koto in the wind

つまごとの　　りちのしらべに　　かよいきて　　こえ　おもしろき　　のきのまつかぜ

tsumagoto no     richi no shirabe ni　　kayoikite     koe omoshiroki　　noki no matsukaze

Along the eaves of my hut     the voice of a koto     searching for the right tune     mingles with the sound     of the wind blowing in the pines.

    Willow of the ancient village     2014 p 51

ひとむらの　　けぶりとみしは　ふるさとの　むかしのやどの　やなぎなりけり

hitomura no     keburi to mishi wa     furusato no     mukashi no yado no    yanagi nari keri

  It seems to be a cloud of smoke     but as I come closer     to the old house     of my ancient village     I see it is a billowing willow.

   The horserace at Kamo Shrine     2014 p 67

おくれそね　かけよかけよと　かみやまの　ほととぎすさえ　なくわたるなり

okure so ne     kakeyo kakeyo to　　kamiyama no 　hototogisu sae　naku wataru nari

Do not fall behind,     run, run faster!     [we yell for our favorite horse:]     even the hototogisu on Kamiyama     seem to join in the cheer.

   Sparkle of the woodsman’s sickle in the moonlight

やまがつが     あすのいそぎに   とく鎌の     ひかりに々たる   夕月夜か那

yamagatsu ga     asu no isogi ni   toku kama no     hikari ni nitaru    yuugetsu yo kana

At night, the woodsman’s sickle     sparkles as bright as     the moonlight

as it is being sharpened     for tomorrow’s work.

   Akishino First Night mist

はつとぎり　たちそめて　そとやまなびく　うすぎりや　まだいりたたぬ　あきしのさと

hatsu togiri     tachisomete     sotoyama nabiku     usugiri ya     mada iritatanu     akishinosato

First Night Mist     just starting to     form along the mountain     the thin mist

has yet to enter     Akishino Village.

   Enthralled by the autumn moon     2014 p 89, 2005 p 57

のに山二     うかれうかれて    かえるさを    ねやまでおくる    秋のよの月

No ni yama ni    ukare ukarete    kaeru sa o    neya made okuru    aki no yo no tsuki

In the fields, in the mountains     I was enthralled, so enthralled;     on the way back home     the autumn moon accompanied me     all the way to my bedroom.

   Moonbeams as my hat

つきのさす　かさのあられや　おちつらん　そでもきょらに　かかるしらゆき

tsuki no sasu   kasa no arare ya   ochitsuran    sode mo kyora ni   kakaru shira yuki

Wearing only moonbeams     as my hat     sleet begins to beat down,     my sleeves too gradually become covered     with pure white snow.

   Plovers on the Kamogawa path     2005 p 76

ちどりなく　かもがわつつみ　月ふけて　そでにおぼゆる　よわの初しも

chidori naku     kamogawa tsutsumi　tsuki fukete     sode ni oboyuru

yowa no hatsushimo

As the moon ascends     plovers cry along     the Kamogawa-tsutsumi path —

night deepens, first frost     settles on my sleeves.

   The bow-shaped moon

もののふの　やしまのうらの　ゆうしおに　ながれもあえぬ　ゆみはりの月

mononofu no     yashima no ura no　yuushioni     nagare mo aenu    yumihari no tsuki

The bow-shaped [half] moon     reminds me of the brave warrior     in the battle of Yashima Bay     who would not let     his bow float away in the tide.

   Waiting for hototogisu     2014 p 65

ほととぎす　いまひとこえと　まちしまに　しらみはてたる　ゆうやけの月

hototogisu     ima hito koe to　machishi ma ni     shirami hate taru    yuu yake no tsuki

Waiting for the     first call of a     hototogisu     in the white light     of the morning moon.

   野々み At Nonomiya Shrine     2014 p 58

野々みやの　春の手向の　しらうふは    さかきにまじる　さくら也けり

Nonomiya no     haru no tamuke no    shirayuu wa     sakaki ni majiru    sakura nari keri

At Nonomiya Shrine     maidens make the spring offering     of pure white cloth;

sacred sakaki trees     mingle with cherry blossoms.

   Koto in the wind

つまごとの　りちのしらべに　通ひきて    こえおもしろき　軒の松風　蓮月

tsumagoto no   richi no shirabe ni    tsuuikite    koe omoshiroki    noki no matsukaze

Through the window of my hut:     the sound of a koto     searching for the right melody     mingling with the sound     of the wind blowing in the pines.

   Ode to a new age

ひなつるの　ゆく末とほき　声きけば    ミよをちとせと　うたふ也けり

Hear the timeless     cry of a young crane—     it is an ode to     the dawning of a new age     to last a 1,000 generations.

   Flourishing bamboo     2005 p 48

このきミ乃　めでたきふしを　重ねつ々　未のよ長き　ためし也けり

This gentleman (bamboo)     piles up knot after knot,     year after year,     flourishing quietly,     an example to us.

   Hermitage in the pines     2014 p 154

のちりを　よそにはらいて　行く末の    千代をしめたる　宿の松風

The world’s dust     swept aside     no concern about the future; in my hermitage I have all I need:     the sound of the wind in the pines.

   Twin needles of the pine

ゆく末の　さちとよはいを　二葉にて    ちとせを松や　ひさしかるらん

Let us consider     our aging and     future happiness     as twin needles     from an auspicious pine.

   The fledgling pines of Sumi-no-e

としごと二　若がへりつ々　いくちよか    世二すみのえの　きしのひめ松

The tiny pines     along the shore     of Sumi-no-e     have been appearing     for how many generations?