Reiwa Edition Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Prototype 2/5

A prototype of the Hyakunin Isshu, poems 21-40, expressed as close to the original as possible while still being readable for children of the Reiwa era.

21 You said you would come in the long night, but you did not, until the moon met the morning sun.

Because you said you would come now, I waited for the moon of the long ninth month to set, and here I am. - Sosei Hoshi

The 'long ninth month' refers to the ninth month of the lunar calendar, when nights are long. You said you would come right away, but you did not.

22 The wind blowing through the mountains withers the autumn plants; it is the mountain and the wind that become a storm.

Since the autumn plants wither as soon as it blows, it is no wonder they call the mountain wind a storm. - Fun'ya no Yasuhide

A wordplay where combining the characters for 'mountain' and 'wind' creates the character for 'storm'.

23 When I look at the moon, for some reason I feel sad in autumn, even though it is not an autumn for me alone.

When I look at the moon, I feel sad in many ways, even though this autumn is not mine alone. - Oe no Chisato

'Chiji ni' means 'in many ways' or 'variously'.

24 This trip was so sudden I have nothing to offer, so I will offer the brocade of autumn leaves.

This time, I could not even prepare an offering, so I offer the brocade of autumn leaves on Tamukeyama, as the gods will. - Kanke

'Nusa' refers to cut paper offered to the gods. A poem by Sugawara no Michizane.

25 If I can meet you at Osakayama as its name suggests, I wish to meet you without anyone knowing.

If it truly lives up to its name, Osakayama, I wish there were a way to come to you secretly, like the creeping vine. - Sanjo Udaijin

'Sanekazura' is a creeping plant. Its name contains the meanings of 'sleeping together' and 'pulling (the vine) towards oneself'.

26 Oh, autumn leaves shining on the peak of Mt. Ogura, wait for that person one more time.

Autumn leaves on the peak of Mt. Ogura, if you have a heart, please wait for the Emperor's visit one more time. - Teishinko

'Gyoko' refers to the Emperor visiting a place.

27 The water flows from the Mikano Plain into the Izumi River; when will I see, when will I see that person I long for?

The Izumi River flows, splitting the fields of Mika; I wonder why I miss you, as if I had seen you at some point. - Chunagon Kanesuke

“Wakite” means both “gushing (water)” and “to divide.” My heart is divided by longing.

28 The loneliness of a mountain village in winter, where the grass withers and no one is seen.

The mountain village is even lonelier in winter, thinking that both people and grass have withered away. - Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason

A mountain village where no one visits and the grass has withered.

29 If I could, I would pick them: white chrysanthemums amidst the whiteness of the first frost.

If I were to pick them by guesswork, I would pick the white chrysanthemums that are confused with the first frost. - Oshikochi no Mitsune

White chrysanthemums so beautiful they are mistaken for the whiteness of frost. The metaphor is extreme. There's no way you'd mistake them.

30 Parting at dawn under the moon of the waning night, the coming of morning is painful and sad.

Since the parting when you looked so cold under the waning moon, nothing is as painful as the dawn. - Mibu no Tadamine

A morning parting after a secret visit.

31 Before dawn, the white snow falling on the village of Yoshino looks like moonlight.

At dawn, the white snow falling on the village of Yoshino looks like the waning moon. - Sakanoue no Korenori

I thought it was moonlight, but it was the whiteness of snow.

32 Has the wind stopped the flow of the mountain stream? The red autumn leaves are piling up.

The barrier the wind has placed in the mountain stream is actually autumn leaves that cannot flow past. - Harumichi no Tsuraki

A “shigarami” is a dam-like structure.

33 On a spring day with calm, eternal light, the flowers scatter and fall without any sense of peace.

On a spring day with calm, eternal light, why do the flowers scatter without a peaceful heart? - Ki no Tomonori

A scene where cherry blossom petals scatter restlessly.

34 There is no one left who knows me; only the pines of Takasago pass on memories of the past.

Whom should I call a friend? Even the pines of Takasago are not friends from the past. - Fujiwara no Okikaze

I have lived so long that all my acquaintances are gone.

35 I do not know that person's heart, but the flowers of my old home still bloom with the same scent as before.

I do not know the heart of that person, but in my old home, the flowers bloom with the same scent as in the past. - Ki no Tsurayuki

The "scented flower" is the "plum." In the Manyo era, when people said "flower," they meant "plum," not "cherry blossom."

36 The summer night ends in the blink of an eye; where in the clouds does the moon hide?

The summer night is still at its twilight when it dawns; where among the clouds does the moon take shelter? - Kiyohara no Fukayabu

The author is Sei Shonagon's great-grandfather or grandfather (theories vary).

37 White dew is blown by the wind, scattering across the autumn field like broken beads.

The autumn field where the wind blows incessantly upon the white dew is like scattered beads that were never strung together. - Fun'ya no Asayasu

Dew that looks as beautiful as scattered jewels.

38 You have forgotten me and gone somewhere; where has your vow disappeared to?

I do not think of my own state of being forgotten, but I worry for the life of the person who made the vow. - Ukon

Even though it was a love sworn before the gods, you have stopped coming to see me.

39 In the bamboo field of the small field where reeds grow, I hide my love, but it overflows and I miss you.

Though I hide my love like the bamboo in the small field where reeds grow, why does it overflow and make me miss you so? - Sangi Hitoshi

The part up to "bamboo field of the small field" is a preface to introduce the word "hide."

40 Does my love show on my face even though I hide it, to the point where people ask if something is wrong?

Though I hide it, it has appeared on my face; my love is such that people ask if I am troubled by something. - Taira no Kanemori

My secret love has been found out.

I wonder if the language of waka poetry will reach the children of the Reiwa era. Then again, there probably aren't any children reading this text.
At the very least, I want adults to pass on Japanese traditions to children.
I want them to not only memorize the Hyakunin Isshu and learn its meanings in class, but also to enjoy it as a "song" with a 5-7-5-7-7 rhythm.
"Tanka" means "short song," and "waka" means "Japanese song." I want people to hum these while grasping the meaning of the Hyakunin Isshu, using the rhythm of modern language. This is a prototype for that purpose.
So, that's it for this time.