Thomas McAuley
@wakapoet.bsky.social
Translator of premodern Japanese poetry.
Lingering Chrysanthemums
Left (Both Judges – Win)
紫に匂へるきくは万代のかざしのために霜や置きつる
With violet
Shine these chrysanthemums:
That for ten thousand ages
We might wear them in our hair—
Is that why the frost has fallen?
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 25
Left (Both Judges – Win)
紫に匂へるきくは万代のかざしのために霜や置きつる
With violet
Shine these chrysanthemums:
That for ten thousand ages
We might wear them in our hair—
Is that why the frost has fallen?
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 25
December 3, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Lingering Chrysanthemums
Left (Both Judges – Win)
紫に匂へるきくは万代のかざしのために霜や置きつる
With violet
Shine these chrysanthemums:
That for ten thousand ages
We might wear them in our hair—
Is that why the frost has fallen?
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 25
Left (Both Judges – Win)
紫に匂へるきくは万代のかざしのために霜や置きつる
With violet
Shine these chrysanthemums:
That for ten thousand ages
We might wear them in our hair—
Is that why the frost has fallen?
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 25
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
人しれずおもへばくるしたけくまの松とはまたじまてばすべなし
Unknown to all
I yearn—how painful!
At Takekuma
A’pine—no I’ll not, for
Awaiting her would have no effect, at all.
Kinkai wakashū 474
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
人しれずおもへばくるしたけくまの松とはまたじまてばすべなし
Unknown to all
I yearn—how painful!
At Takekuma
A’pine—no I’ll not, for
Awaiting her would have no effect, at all.
Kinkai wakashū 474
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
December 3, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Left (T – Win)
柞原紅ふかく染めてけり時雨の雨はいろなけれども
The oak groves
Deeply scarlet
Have been dyed,
Though the rain shower
Lacks any hue at all…
Lord Shigemoto
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 23
柞原紅ふかく染めてけり時雨の雨はいろなけれども
The oak groves
Deeply scarlet
Have been dyed,
Though the rain shower
Lacks any hue at all…
Lord Shigemoto
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 23
December 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Left (T – Win)
柞原紅ふかく染めてけり時雨の雨はいろなけれども
The oak groves
Deeply scarlet
Have been dyed,
Though the rain shower
Lacks any hue at all…
Lord Shigemoto
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 23
柞原紅ふかく染めてけり時雨の雨はいろなけれども
The oak groves
Deeply scarlet
Have been dyed,
Though the rain shower
Lacks any hue at all…
Lord Shigemoto
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 23
Left
さごろもの袂はせばしかづけども時雨の雨は心してふれ
My night robe’s
Sleeve are narrow:
I cover myself, yet,
O rain shower,
Fall with care!
Lord Toshitaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 21
さごろもの袂はせばしかづけども時雨の雨は心してふれ
My night robe’s
Sleeve are narrow:
I cover myself, yet,
O rain shower,
Fall with care!
Lord Toshitaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 21
December 1, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Left
さごろもの袂はせばしかづけども時雨の雨は心してふれ
My night robe’s
Sleeve are narrow:
I cover myself, yet,
O rain shower,
Fall with care!
Lord Toshitaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 21
さごろもの袂はせばしかづけども時雨の雨は心してふれ
My night robe’s
Sleeve are narrow:
I cover myself, yet,
O rain shower,
Fall with care!
Lord Toshitaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 21
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
あづまぢの道のおくなるしら川のせきあへぬ袖をもる涙かな
On Eastern roads,
On ways into the heartlands lies
Shirakawa’s
Barrier—unable to match it my sleeves
Are soaked with tears!
Kinkai wakashū 472
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
あづまぢの道のおくなるしら川のせきあへぬ袖をもる涙かな
On Eastern roads,
On ways into the heartlands lies
Shirakawa’s
Barrier—unable to match it my sleeves
Are soaked with tears!
Kinkai wakashū 472
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
December 1, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Left (T – Tie)
波よする蜑の苫やのひまをあらみもるにてぞしるよはのしぐれは
Waves break near
A sedge-thatched hut’s
Crude gaps
The leaks reveal
A midnight shower…
Lord Tadafusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 19
波よする蜑の苫やのひまをあらみもるにてぞしるよはのしぐれは
Waves break near
A sedge-thatched hut’s
Crude gaps
The leaks reveal
A midnight shower…
Lord Tadafusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 19
November 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Left (T – Tie)
波よする蜑の苫やのひまをあらみもるにてぞしるよはのしぐれは
Waves break near
A sedge-thatched hut’s
Crude gaps
The leaks reveal
A midnight shower…
Lord Tadafusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 19
波よする蜑の苫やのひまをあらみもるにてぞしるよはのしぐれは
Waves break near
A sedge-thatched hut’s
Crude gaps
The leaks reveal
A midnight shower…
Lord Tadafusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 19
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
いせ島やいちしのあまのすて衣あふことなみに朽ちやはてなん
On Ise Isle
At Ichishi a fisherman has
Abandoned his garb
To the waves—unable to meet
Will I, too, rot away, I wonder?
Kinkai wakashū 471
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌 #aiart
いせ島やいちしのあまのすて衣あふことなみに朽ちやはてなん
On Ise Isle
At Ichishi a fisherman has
Abandoned his garb
To the waves—unable to meet
Will I, too, rot away, I wonder?
Kinkai wakashū 471
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌 #aiart
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Left (T – Tie; M – Win)
神無月旅行く人もいづくにかたちかくるべき時雨もる山
In the Godless Month
For folk gone travelling
Is there anywhere
To hide themselves away,
As the showers drip down on Mount Moru?
Lady Shinano
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 17
神無月旅行く人もいづくにかたちかくるべき時雨もる山
In the Godless Month
For folk gone travelling
Is there anywhere
To hide themselves away,
As the showers drip down on Mount Moru?
Lady Shinano
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 17
November 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Left (T – Tie; M – Win)
神無月旅行く人もいづくにかたちかくるべき時雨もる山
In the Godless Month
For folk gone travelling
Is there anywhere
To hide themselves away,
As the showers drip down on Mount Moru?
Lady Shinano
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 17
神無月旅行く人もいづくにかたちかくるべき時雨もる山
In the Godless Month
For folk gone travelling
Is there anywhere
To hide themselves away,
As the showers drip down on Mount Moru?
Lady Shinano
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 17
Left (Both Judges – Tie)
神無月三室の山の紅葉ばも色に出でぬべく降るしぐれかな
In the Godless Month
On Mount Mimuro
The autumn leaves
Show no hues at all, despite
The falling showers!
Lord Morikata
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 15
神無月三室の山の紅葉ばも色に出でぬべく降るしぐれかな
In the Godless Month
On Mount Mimuro
The autumn leaves
Show no hues at all, despite
The falling showers!
Lord Morikata
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 15
November 26, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Left (Both Judges – Tie)
神無月三室の山の紅葉ばも色に出でぬべく降るしぐれかな
In the Godless Month
On Mount Mimuro
The autumn leaves
Show no hues at all, despite
The falling showers!
Lord Morikata
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 15
神無月三室の山の紅葉ばも色に出でぬべく降るしぐれかな
In the Godless Month
On Mount Mimuro
The autumn leaves
Show no hues at all, despite
The falling showers!
Lord Morikata
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 15
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
しらやまにふりてつもれる雪なれば下こそきゆれうへはつれなし
On Mount Shirayma, so white,
Fallen and drifted is
The snow:
Beneath it vanishes away, while
Atop ‘tis cruelly chill.
Kinkai wakashū 469
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
しらやまにふりてつもれる雪なれば下こそきゆれうへはつれなし
On Mount Shirayma, so white,
Fallen and drifted is
The snow:
Beneath it vanishes away, while
Atop ‘tis cruelly chill.
Kinkai wakashū 469
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
November 26, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Left (Both Judges – Win)
音にさへ袂をぬらす時雨かな槙の板屋のよはの寝覚に
Even the sound
Does soak my sleeves with
A shower
Striking my roof of cedar boards,
Awaking at midnight…
Lord Sadanobu
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 13
音にさへ袂をぬらす時雨かな槙の板屋のよはの寝覚に
Even the sound
Does soak my sleeves with
A shower
Striking my roof of cedar boards,
Awaking at midnight…
Lord Sadanobu
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 13
November 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Left (Both Judges – Win)
音にさへ袂をぬらす時雨かな槙の板屋のよはの寝覚に
Even the sound
Does soak my sleeves with
A shower
Striking my roof of cedar boards,
Awaking at midnight…
Lord Sadanobu
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 13
音にさへ袂をぬらす時雨かな槙の板屋のよはの寝覚に
Even the sound
Does soak my sleeves with
A shower
Striking my roof of cedar boards,
Awaking at midnight…
Lord Sadanobu
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 13
Left (M – Tie)
さもこそは槙のまやぶき薄からめもるばかりにもうつ時雨かな
Truly,
A roof of cedar boughs
Seems scanty, for
It simply leaks when
Struck by a shower!
Lord Morotoshi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 11
さもこそは槙のまやぶき薄からめもるばかりにもうつ時雨かな
Truly,
A roof of cedar boughs
Seems scanty, for
It simply leaks when
Struck by a shower!
Lord Morotoshi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 11
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Left (M – Tie)
さもこそは槙のまやぶき薄からめもるばかりにもうつ時雨かな
Truly,
A roof of cedar boughs
Seems scanty, for
It simply leaks when
Struck by a shower!
Lord Morotoshi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 11
さもこそは槙のまやぶき薄からめもるばかりにもうつ時雨かな
Truly,
A roof of cedar boughs
Seems scanty, for
It simply leaks when
Struck by a shower!
Lord Morotoshi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 11
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
年ふとも音にはたてじ音羽川した行く水のしたのおもひを
The years may pass, yet
I’ll make not a sound, as
The Otowa River’s
Waters flow beneath, so
Secret will be my passion’s fire…
Kinkai wakashū 467
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
年ふとも音にはたてじ音羽川した行く水のしたのおもひを
The years may pass, yet
I’ll make not a sound, as
The Otowa River’s
Waters flow beneath, so
Secret will be my passion’s fire…
Kinkai wakashū 467
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
November 24, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Left (T – Tie)
時雨には菅の小笠も水もりて遠の旅人ぬれやしぬらん
In such a shower
A little hat of woven sedge, too,
Drips with water;
A distant traveller
Is drenched, no doubt…
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 9
時雨には菅の小笠も水もりて遠の旅人ぬれやしぬらん
In such a shower
A little hat of woven sedge, too,
Drips with water;
A distant traveller
Is drenched, no doubt…
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 9
November 21, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Left (T – Tie)
時雨には菅の小笠も水もりて遠の旅人ぬれやしぬらん
In such a shower
A little hat of woven sedge, too,
Drips with water;
A distant traveller
Is drenched, no doubt…
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 9
時雨には菅の小笠も水もりて遠の旅人ぬれやしぬらん
In such a shower
A little hat of woven sedge, too,
Drips with water;
A distant traveller
Is drenched, no doubt…
Lady Kazusa
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 9
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
三熊野のうらのはまゆふいはずとも思ふ心の数をしらなん
At fair Kumano,
Lilies on the beach
Say nothing, yet
The yearnings in my heart for you
In number I would have you know!
Kinkai wakashū 466
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
三熊野のうらのはまゆふいはずとも思ふ心の数をしらなん
At fair Kumano,
Lilies on the beach
Say nothing, yet
The yearnings in my heart for you
In number I would have you know!
Kinkai wakashū 466
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #Japan #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
November 21, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Left (M – Win)
水鳥の青葉の山やいかならん梢をそむる今朝のしぐれに
Waterfowl fly above
Aoba Mountain—
O, what is to become
Of the treetops dyed
By this morning’s shower?
Lord Akinaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 7
水鳥の青葉の山やいかならん梢をそむる今朝のしぐれに
Waterfowl fly above
Aoba Mountain—
O, what is to become
Of the treetops dyed
By this morning’s shower?
Lord Akinaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 7
November 20, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Left (M – Win)
水鳥の青葉の山やいかならん梢をそむる今朝のしぐれに
Waterfowl fly above
Aoba Mountain—
O, what is to become
Of the treetops dyed
By this morning’s shower?
Lord Akinaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 7
水鳥の青葉の山やいかならん梢をそむる今朝のしぐれに
Waterfowl fly above
Aoba Mountain—
O, what is to become
Of the treetops dyed
By this morning’s shower?
Lord Akinaka
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 7
Left (T – Win)
時雨には色ならぬ身の袖笠もぬるればかをる物にぞ有りける
When, amidst a shower
My colourless
Umbrella of sleeves
Is soaked, something scented
Does it become!
Shōshō no kimi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 5
時雨には色ならぬ身の袖笠もぬるればかをる物にぞ有りける
When, amidst a shower
My colourless
Umbrella of sleeves
Is soaked, something scented
Does it become!
Shōshō no kimi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 5
November 19, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Left (T – Win)
時雨には色ならぬ身の袖笠もぬるればかをる物にぞ有りける
When, amidst a shower
My colourless
Umbrella of sleeves
Is soaked, something scented
Does it become!
Shōshō no kimi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 5
時雨には色ならぬ身の袖笠もぬるればかをる物にぞ有りける
When, amidst a shower
My colourless
Umbrella of sleeves
Is soaked, something scented
Does it become!
Shōshō no kimi
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 5
Composed on the conception of love at a famous location
おくやまの岩がき沼に木のは落ちてしづめる心人しるらめや
Deep within the mountains
Lies a marsh among the crags, where
Leaves off the trees fall,
Sinking, my heart—
Does she know at all, I wonder…
Kinkai wakashū 464
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
おくやまの岩がき沼に木のは落ちてしづめる心人しるらめや
Deep within the mountains
Lies a marsh among the crags, where
Leaves off the trees fall,
Sinking, my heart—
Does she know at all, I wonder…
Kinkai wakashū 464
#wakapoem #wakapoetry #poem #love #lovepoem #和歌 #恋 #恋歌
November 19, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Left (T – Tie; M – Win)
あやしくも時雨にかへる袂かなゐなの笠はらさして行けども
How strange that
From the shower I shelter
Beneath my sleeves!
Though into the umbrella of the dwarf-bamboo groves of Ina
Is where I’m heading…
A Court Lady
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 3
あやしくも時雨にかへる袂かなゐなの笠はらさして行けども
How strange that
From the shower I shelter
Beneath my sleeves!
Though into the umbrella of the dwarf-bamboo groves of Ina
Is where I’m heading…
A Court Lady
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 3
November 18, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Left (T – Tie; M – Win)
あやしくも時雨にかへる袂かなゐなの笠はらさして行けども
How strange that
From the shower I shelter
Beneath my sleeves!
Though into the umbrella of the dwarf-bamboo groves of Ina
Is where I’m heading…
A Court Lady
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 3
あやしくも時雨にかへる袂かなゐなの笠はらさして行けども
How strange that
From the shower I shelter
Beneath my sleeves!
Though into the umbrella of the dwarf-bamboo groves of Ina
Is where I’m heading…
A Court Lady
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 3
Showers
Left (Win – Both judges)
終夜嵐の音にたぐひつつ木の葉とともに降るしぐれかな
All night long
The sound of storm winds
Is laced
With that of leaves and
Falling showers!
Lady Settsu, in service to the Empress
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 1
Left (Win – Both judges)
終夜嵐の音にたぐひつつ木の葉とともに降るしぐれかな
All night long
The sound of storm winds
Is laced
With that of leaves and
Falling showers!
Lady Settsu, in service to the Empress
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 1
November 17, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Showers
Left (Win – Both judges)
終夜嵐の音にたぐひつつ木の葉とともに降るしぐれかな
All night long
The sound of storm winds
Is laced
With that of leaves and
Falling showers!
Lady Settsu, in service to the Empress
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 1
Left (Win – Both judges)
終夜嵐の音にたぐひつつ木の葉とともに降るしぐれかな
All night long
The sound of storm winds
Is laced
With that of leaves and
Falling showers!
Lady Settsu, in service to the Empress
Naidaijin-ke uta'awase 1