SUMMER

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Asaborake Uji no kawa giri Tae dae ni

Araware wataru Seze no ajirogi

When a day is breaking,

Mist hanging over the Uji River

Is clearing off.

Begin to appear one by one

From close ones to the ones in the distance.

Stakes to support fences to catch fish

This poem expresses a refreshing morning view of Uji where the noblemen in the old days had

summer houses. This poem is in “Hyakunin Isshu,” a famous collection of 100 poems by 100 poets in

those days. The end of the poem is a noun and it leaves elegant atmosphere. (Muranaka Hiroyuki,

a boy)

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Swish, swoosh,

Into waves

Drawing near and retreating,

We dive

Throwing ourselves.

I thought of this poem when I went to the sea. Children vigorously dived into the

waves of the sea. They seemed determined, saying to themselves, "Go," and threw

themselves into the sea. I also ran to the waves. Everybody can experience this, so I

think that we can have sympathy to this poem. (Kakozaki Sachiko, a girl)

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Natsu kusa ya Tsuwamono domo mo Doudemo yoi

Donna jidai mo Shikabane no yama

The summer grasses---- brave soldiers' dreams,

I'm not interested in them.

All through the times,

There have been mountains of bones

Wars have no sense and I don't care how people justify them. This is a parody of a

famous poet, Matsuo Basho's, famous poem;

The summer grasses----brave soldiers' dream

Turned into ruins

(Fujimoto Junya, a boy)

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Himawari ni Shita wo mukuna to Shikarare te

Kyoumo genki ni Ganbari masho

Sunflowers

Scolded me

“Don’t look down!”

I’ll do my best today.

There are sunflowers in the park near my house. They are very small. Every day the

sunflowers look up and bloom very cheerfully. I look at them every day on my way to school. They

made me very happy. When my mood is bad, I think I have to work very hard. This summer I felt

various things, looking at these sunflowers. (Masumoto Kenji, a boy)

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Natsu owaru Senkou hanabi Kieru toki

Samishii kimochi Dokoka nite iru

The summer is about to end

A small fire work is going out

Somehow it resembles my loneliness

I feel very lonely

I think no one want summer vacation to finish. I want to express this feeling in this poem. I want

both the little fire work and summer to continue. (Tachikawa Yukari, a girl)

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At the end of the summer in the cool air-----

The insects are singing loudly in chorus

Under the starry sky.

I live deep in the mountain. So when I couldn't sleep at night, I listened carefully to

the insects chirp. It was very beautiful. Lying on my bed and looking at the stars, I

listened to insects. A lot of insects were chirping in harmony so I slept comfortably. I

don't like insects very much, but when I listen to them, I feel at ease. So thanks to this,

my dislike for insects decreased a little. (Suko Kaori, a girl)

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AUTUMN

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Natsu yasumi Oware ba hajimaru Tatakai ga

Teki no namae wa Mezamashi dokei

WINTER

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Asa borake Ariake no tsuki to Miru made ni

Yoshino no sato ni Fureru shira yuki

The white snow

Is falling and piling up

Over the village of Yoshino

It is as bright as

The white moon before dawn.

Imagining this scenery, I thought this must be very beautiful. Even if I close my eyes, I can

imagine the scene of the snow reflecting the moonlight and glittering. I want to see such a scene at

least once in reality because snow seldom piles up in Iwakuni City where I live. (Irino Kyoko)

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Samui ne to Hanashi kake reba Samui ne to

Kotaeru hito no Atatakasa

I say, “It’s cold, isn’t it?”

You say, “It’s cold, isn’t it?”

Our talk warms us.

This poem is Tawara Machi’s. It was made in Shouwa Era. In winter, I talked to my friend in a

room or outdoor, “It’s cold, isn’t it?” She answered the same to me. It was just a casual talk. I

think everybody answers like this poem. But thanks to this poem, I found that the answer has such

warmth. (Fujii Manami, a girl)

AGING

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Hana no iro wa Utsuri ni kerina Itazura ni

Waga mi yo ni furu Nagame sesi ma ni

The color of flowers

Has changed uselessly.

They were like myself.

I also have changed

While I was worrying

About many things.

This poem was made by Onono Komachi in Heian Period. It was in "Hyaku-nin

Isshu," the collection of 100 poems by 100 poets. I didn't notice the color of flowers

change while it was raining for a long time before. Like the color of flowers I can't keep

the same looks. This poem expresses sadness that time goes by in vain. (Fujii Manami, a girl)

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Nagaraeba Mata konogoro ya Shinobarem

Ushi to mishi yo zo Ima wa koishiki

If you live long,

You will yearn for now.

I yearn for the world

That I once thought

Was painful.

This poem was written by Fujiwara Kiyosuke. He wrote and gave this poem to

console his acquaintance. He had many difficulties himself. He was such a person that I think this

poem doesn't sound like a mere consolation. So his acquaintance must have been really cheered up.

(Ishimaru Kimiko)

LOVE

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Kanransha Maware yo maware Omoide wa

Kimi ni wa ichi nichi Ware ni wa isshou

Go round and round, the Ferris wheel!

This is only a memory on one day for you

But I am sure to remember it in my lifetime.

The poet's name is Kyoko Kuriki. She was born in Aichi Prefecture. She is on a date with her

boyfriend in an amusement park. The end of a ride becomes the start of the next ride. I think that

she wants to stop the time with him. I like this poem because I can understand the content of this

poem very well. And I can feel many kinds of her feelings, for example, the time is important for her

in the Ferris wheel. I think she wants to keep riding it forever. I was attracted by her pure heart.

(Yamane Seiko, a girl)

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Tamano o yo Taenaba taene Nagaraeba

Shinoburu koto no Yowari mozo suru

If my soul can die out,

Die out.

If I survive any longer,

My power to control my love

Might become weaker

And I won’t be able to hide it

In my heart.

Then my love will be known

To somebody.

The writer of this short poem is Princess Shokushi. This is one of the poems in “Shin-Kokin

Wakashu,” which is a famous collection of Japanese short poems made in the Kamakura and

Muromachi Period. Her painful love came across to me. People in the old days his their feelings but

they had many short poems to express the love in their hearts. Every short poems describes their

ardent love in it. I chose this one because it impressed me most of such poems. (Ohsugi Tomoko,

a girl)

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Omoi tsutsu Nereba ya hito no Mietsu ram

Yume to shiri seba Same zara masi o

Because I slept,

Missing you,

Did you come out

In my dream?

If I had known it was a dream,

I would not have waken up.

This poem was made by Onono Komachi around 905. I like this poem because the

feeling of the poet's love for her lover is strong. I thought this poem expresses her

regrettable feeling very well at the time when she woke up from her dream in which her

lover showed up. (Suko Kaori, a girl)

***************

Samishisa ni Tae rare nakute Jibun kara

Aitai nante Ieta yorokobi

I miss you so much

That I could say to you

"I want to see you."

It was a great joy to me.

I cannot be gentle, and I'm sometimes stubborn. I always put on a show.

However, I feel satisfied when I can be a little brave. I think it wonderful to tell our

feelings to other people frankly. I made this poem. (Nagai Sumiko, a girl)

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Ai mite no Nochi no kokoro ni Kurabu reba

Mukashi wa mono o Omowa zari keri

I compare my love

Before I saw you and after.

I don't think

I had loved you so much before.

Ancient Japanese noblemen began to love women before they saw the women's faces.

So probably every time they met the women, their love grew more and more.

(Yamamoto Akiko, a girl)

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Wasureji no Yuku sue made wa Kata kere ba

Kyou o kagiri no Inochi to mogana

"I won't forget you forever."

I can't expect you to keep this feeling

So on this happy day,

When I heard these words.

I want to die.

This poem is a love poem, so I could easily understand it. I think that she expressed her wish to

keep happiness very well in this poem. This poem was made by Gidou Sanboushi's mother in the

Heian Period. (Miyazaki Eri, a girl)

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Mayonakani Omoini fukeru Mainichi wa

Kanawanu ai dato Nao kuraki kana

I’m absorbed in the thought of you

At midnight every day.

Because you will not accept my love,

The night looks

All the more dark.

I expressed my friend’s feeling who is in love now in this poem. She is thinking of her love so

much that she cannot fall asleep even at midnight until morning. (Uchitomi Yuka, a girl)

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Kono aji ga Ii ne to kimi ga Itta kara

Shichi gatsu muika wa Sarada kinenbi

You said, “This tastes good.”

So July 6^th is

Our Salad Anniversary.

This poem was made by Tawara Machi. It is very famous in Japan. I think maybe a lot of

Japanese people know this poem. She cooked salad for her lover. He ate it and said, “This tastes

good.” They decided the day is salad anniversary then. They seem happy. I think she was

especially happy then. Everybody feels happy when we are praised. (Fujii Manami, a girl)

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OTHERS

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Shirogane mo Kin mo tama mo Nani semu ni

Takara ko ni Shikame ya mo

What can silver, gold, or jewel beads be for?

No treasures can be compared

With children.

Children surpass all the treasures.

The poet is Yamanoue Okura. He wrote this poem in the late Nara Period. I

thought that only my parents seriously scold me without worrying if I dislike them. I

want to think of my children's happiness as the most precious treasure when I become a

parent in the future. (Nagai Sumiko, a girl)

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Ware omou Shake wa kawa ga Oishii yo

Asa ni tabere ba Nihon jin kamo

I think salmon tastes most delicious

With its skin.

When I eat it for breakfast,

I feel I'm a Japanese.

This poem was made by my friend. A traditional Japanese breakfast has rice,

fermented bean soup, dried seaweed called "nori," pickles, an egg, and a slice of grilled

salted salmon. (Fujimoto Junya, a boy)

******************

Looking at the future,

Looking for happiness,

I'll live on

Without giving way to my weak self,

Run through.

When I made this, I was distressed very much. I didn't do what I had to do on each

day. They were piled up gradually. I expressed my great regret that I lived an easy life.

(Kuramasu Yoshimi, a girl)