Tag Archives: aoi

Shiki koi sanshu uta’awase – Summer

Summer

Left

夏くればかみにあふひの草つみてかざしにいのるひとにばかりぞ

natsu kureba
kami ni aoi no
kusa tsumite
kazashi ni inoru
hito ni bakari zo
When the summer comes
For the God, hollyhocks
 Are plucked, and for a
Prayer placed in the hair of
All folk, every one!

7

夏草も茂りにければ駿河なる田子のうらなへ今やひくらん

natsu kusa mo
shigerinikereba
suruga naru
tago no ura nae
ima ya hikuran
The summer grasses, too,
Have grown lush, so
As Suruga’s
Tago Bay,
Do they now extend their charm?

8

夏虫のやどるにまつは色ならで春秋空にうつろひやする

natsumushi no
yadoru ni matsu wa
iro narade
haru aki sora ni
utsuroi ya suru
The summer insects
Lodge upon the pines
Unchanging hues;
Is it the spring and autumn skies
Which fade away?

9

Right

卯花の咲く夏の夜はやみなれどかきねにやどる月かとぞみる

u no hana no
saku natsu no yo wa
yami naredo
kakine ni yadoru
tsuki ka to zo miru
The deutzia flowers
Bloom upon a summer night
‘Tis dark, yet
Lodged upon my brushwood fence
I wonder if I see the moon?

10

五月きぬことかたらはむほととぎす君にあふちの花も咲きけり

satsuki kinu
koto katarawamu
hototogisu
kimi ni auchi no
hana mo sakikeri
That the Fifth Month has come
Is announced by
The cuckoo:
For you, the chinaberry
Blossoms, too, have bloomed.

11

空蝉のからにはあらで置く露の身をあらたむる心なるべし

utsusemi no
kara ni wa arade
oku tsuyu no
mi o aratamuru
kokoro narubeshi
A cicada’s shed
Shell I am not, for
The dripping dew
Does refresh my flesh, or
So my heart seems to feel.

12

Summer I: 18

Left.

雲の上を出づる使のもろかづら向かふ日影にかざすけふかな

kumo no ue o
izuru tsukai no
morokazura
mukau hikage ni
kazasu kyō kana
From above the clouds
The messengers emerge;
Bearing branches, hollyhock decked,
Bent towards the sun-bright power
In adornment on this day.

Lord Sada’ie.

215

Right (Win).

ゆふだすきかけてぞ頼む玉かづらあふひうれしきみあれと思へば

yūdasuki
kakete zo tanomu
tamakazura
aoi ureshiki
miare to omoeba
With mulberry-cloth
Garlanded, wishing for
A jewelled belt of
Hollyhocks, on this joyful
Festive day…

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

216

The Right have no particular remarks to make about the Left’s poem. The Left, however, comment, ‘“Festival” (matsuri)and “festive” (miare) are somewhat different. They do not refer to events held on the same day.’

Shunzei responds, ‘While the Left’s “Bent towards the sun-bright power” (mukau hikage) certainly provides no evidence of a lack of feeling, in overall form the Right’s poem seems more elegantly flowing [migi utazama, iinagasaretaru yō]. While it is true that the festive days begin two days prior to the festival itself, the term can also apply to the evening of the festival day, and so the two can be seen as synonymous. The Right would seem to win.’

Summer I: 16

Left (Tie).

あふひ草かざすけふとぞ思しに花を折りても見えわたるかな

aoigusa
kazasu kyō to zo
omoishi ni
hana o oritemo
miewataru kana
With hollyhock I’d
Deck myself today
I thought,
And found all blessed with blooms
Within my sight!

Lord Kanemune.

211

Right (Tie).

ちはやぶる賀茂のみあれのあふひ草ひきつゞきても渡るけふ哉

chihayaburu
kamo no miare no
aoigusa
hikitsuzukitemo
wataru kyō kana
To mighty
Kamo for these three days have
The hollyhocks
In ever longer lines
Processed toward this day.

Jakuren.

212

The Right, ‘wonder if the Left’s poem doesn’t make the hollyhock seem like an afterthought?’, while the Left content themselves with saying, ‘the initial section of the Right’s poems seems rather dated.’

Shunzei disagrees: ‘The Left’s poem does not make the hollyhocks secondary – rather than implying they are mere decorations, it suggests the beauty of everyone beautifully adorned proceeding toward the shrine. As for the Right’s poem, the use of old-fashioned terms is normal in the context. This makes both poems are equal, and the round should tie.’

Summer I: 14

Left (Tie).

むかしより君と神とに引分けてけふのあふひは二葉なりけり

mukashi yori
kimi to kami to ni
hikiwakete
kyō no aoi wa
futaba narikeri
Ever between
My Lord and the God
Has my loyalty been split;
Thus the hollyhocks, today,
Have leaves in pairs…

Kenshō.

207

Right (Tie).

昔よりいつきの宮に吹そめてけふは涼しき賀茂の河風

mukashi yori
itsuki no miya ni
fukisomete
kyō wa suzushiki
kamo no kawakaze
Long since upon
The princess of purity
Has it begun to blow;
Today, so cool is
The breeze from Kamo River…

Nobusada.

208

The Right have no particular comments to make about the Left’s poem, but the Left complain that the Right’s, ‘does not seem that clearly connected with the Kamo Festival. Moreover, “princess of purity” (itsuki no miya) properly refers to the Princess at Ise; the Kamo Princess should be “lady of purity” (itsuki no in), should it not?’

Shunzei states, ‘Both Left and Right this round begin with a reference to the past (mukashi yori) and then continue with “my Lord and the God” (kimi to kami ni) and “the priestess of purity has it begun to blow” (itsuki no miya ni fukisomete) respectively; both are charming in form and spirit, but the gentlemen of the Left have criticised the failure to use “lady” (in). In poetry, though, how could we to use this word? Both the priestess at Ise and the priestess at Kamo are Imperial Princesses. Why, therefore, is it problematic to use the expression? Furthermore, Lord Sanekata composed a poem with the line, “Sleeping on my way to the princess of purity” (itsuki no miya no tabine ni wa), and at the Unrin Temple, in the Tale by the old man, Yotsugi, in praise of Princess Senshi it says, “although there were many princesses of purity in the world…”. This round must tie.’

SKKS III: 182

Composed when she was Kamo High Priestess, at the shrine buildings.

わすれめやあふひをくさにひきむすびかりねのゝべのつゆのあけぼの

wasureme ya
aoi o kusa ni
hikimusubi
karine no nobe no
tsuyu no akebono
Will I forget, I wonder,
Hollyhocks for my pillow
Plucked and twined,
Sleeping briefly in the fields
On this dew-drenched dawning.

Princess Shokushi
式子内親王