Tag Archives: bed

Fubokushō IX: 3430

From the poetry contest in 1500 rounds.

見ぬ人をまつの木かげの苔むしろ猶敷島ややまとなでしこ

minu hito o
matsu no kokage no
kokemushiro
nao shikishima ya
yamato nadeshiko
For a man unseen
She pines in the shadow of the trees
On a mossy bed for
Her coverlet, the isles that make
Yamato – a pink!

Kūnaikyō, in service to Former Emperor Gotoba

Kanpyō no ōntoki kisai no miya uta’awase 79

Left

白露ぞ霜となりける冬のよはあまの河さへ水こほりけり

shiratsuyu zo
shimo to narikeru
fuyu no yo wa
ama no kawa sae
mizu kōrikeri
Silver dewdrops
Have turned to frost
On this winter’s night
Even the River of Heaven’s
Waters have frozen.

153

Right

冬の海に降りいる雪やそこにゐて春たつ浪の花とさくらん

fuyu no umi ni
furi’iru yuki ya
soko ni ite
haru tatsu nami no
hana to sakuran
Upon the sea in winter,
Falling down, is the snow:
Does it rest upon the bed and
With the waves breaking in springtime
Bloom into blossom?

154

Horikawa-in enjo awase 3

逢ふ事やこよひこよひとかよふまに空忘れして月日へにけり

au koto ya
koyoi koyoi to
kayou ma ni
sora wasureshite
tsukihi henikeri
I wonder will we meet
Tonight, maybe tonight, I think, and
While I’m on my way,
Forgetful of the skies,
Days and months have passed me by.

Kuninobu, the Minamoto Middle Counsellor
5

In reply.

あや莚をとなるまでも恋ひずしてまだきに床を忘るべしやは

ayamushiro
oto naru made mo
koizushite
madaki ni toko o
wasurubeshi ya wa
My patterned blanket
Lies far away, and yet
Lacking love
How swiftly my bed
Might you be able to forget?

Daishin, in service to His Former Majesty
6

Koresada shinnō-ke uta’awase 32

ゆめののちむなしきとこはあらじかしあきののなかもこひしかりけり

yume no nochi
munashiki toko wa
araji kashi
aki no no naka mo
koishikarikeri
After a dream of you
The emptiness of my bed
I feel not, I think, for
Amid the autumn meadows
I do love you still.

63

もみぢばのたまれるかりのなみだにはあきの月こそかげやどしけれ

momijiba no
tamareru kari no
namida ni wa
aki no tsuki koso
kage yadoshikere
The scarlet leaves
Clog the goose
Tears, where
It I the autumn moon’s
Light finds lodging.

64

SZS XII: 766

Composed as a love poem.

よもすがら物思ふころはあけやらぬねやのひまさへつれなかりけり

yomosugara
mono’omoFu koro wa
akeyaranu
neya no Fima saFe
turenakarikeri
Night after night,
Sunk in gloomy thoughts which
Never lift,
The time spent in my bed
Is tedious, indeed!

Monk Shun’e

Love IX: 30

Left (Win)
忘れずは馴し袖もやこほこほるらむ寝ぬ夜の床の霜のさむしろ

wasurezu wa
nareshi sode mo ya
kōruramu
nenu yo no toko no
shimo no samushiro
If she should forget me not,
Would those oh so familiar sleeves, too,
Freeze solid?
In bed on a sleepless night
Frost forms on my chilly blankets…

Lord Sada’ie
1139

Right
分てこそ中より塵は積もりぬれ恋の病に沈むさ筵

wakete koso
naka yori chiri wa
tsumorinure
koi no yamai ni
shizumu samushiro
Split down
The middle, dust
Has piled up!
Sunk in the sickness
Of love upon this blanket!

Lord Takanobu
1140

Left and Right together state: we find no faults to mention.

In judgement: the conception of being lost in thought of another’s sleeves ‘in bed on a sleepless night frost forms on my chilly blankets’ (nenu yo no toko no shimo no samushiro) is certainly elegant. The scene in the Right’s poem, with the blanket divided in half, with one covered with dust, and the other where the speaker lies lovesick, is distasteful and I do not find it appealing, so thus, the Left wins.

Love IX: 28

Left
君とわが寝しさむしろの塵なれば形見がてらにうちも払はず

kimi to wa ga
neshi samushiro no
chiri nareba
katami ga tera ni
uchi mo harawazu
My love and I
Did sleep upon these blankets, so
Even the dust there
Is a memento –
I cannot brush it away!

Lord Suetsune
1135

Right (Win)
ひとり寝の床のさ筵朽ちにけり涙は袖をかぎるのみかは

hitorine no
toko no samushiro
kuchinikeri
namida wa sode o
kagiru nomi ka wa
Sleeping solo on
My bed’s blankets,
They have rotted away;
Tears on more than sleeves
Have that effect…

Ietaka
1136

The Right state: ‘did sleep’ (neshi) is particularly unimpressive. The Left state: ‘more than sleeves’ (sode o kagiru) is, perhaps, over-definite.

In judgement: in the Left’s poem, despite ‘did sleep upon these blankets’ (neshi samushiro) referring to something which definitely exists, it still sounds as if there is not much poetic expression in the poem. ‘Is a memento’ (katami ga tera) fails to resemble ‘for blossom viewing’ (hanami ga tera). As for the Right’s poem, I certainly would not say that ‘tears on more than sleeves have that effect’ (namida wa sode o kagiru nomi ka wa) is over-definite. It is somewhat difficult to make out on hearing, but the configuration is poetic, indeed, so the Right should win, it seems.