Tag Archives: clouds

Daikōtaigōgū daijin kiyosuke-ason ke uta’awase 25

Round Twenty-Five

Left

恋ひしなん後は煙とのぼりなばたなびく雲をそれとだにみよ

koishinan
nochi wa keburi to
noborinaba
tanabiku kumo o
sore to dani miyo
I shall die of love for you, and
After as smoke
Shall rise, then
The trailing clouds
Behold and think of me!

Iemoto
49

Right

我が身だに思ふにたがふ物なればことわりなりや人のつらきは

wa ga mi dani
omou ni tagau
mono nareba
kotowarinari ya
hito no tsuraki wa
My sorry self
Differs from what I had thought
So I suppose
It’s natural, isn’t it—
That she should be so cruel…

Moromitsu
50

The Right made me feel that’s how it is. It’s charming.

Daikōtaigōgū daijin kiyosuke-ason ke uta’awase 17

Round Seventeen

Left

夜もすがらをばすて山の月をみて昔にかよふ我がこころかな

yomosugara
obasuteyama no
tsuki o mite
mukashi kayou
wa ga kokoro kana
All night long
At Mount Obasute
Gazing upon the moon—
Drifting back to days gone by
Goes my heart!

Lord Kiyosuke
33

Right (Win)

山のはに雲のよこぎるよひのまは出でても月ぞ猶またれける

yama no ha ni
kumo no yokogiru
yoi no ma wa
idete mo tsuki zo
nao matarekeru
Along the mountains’ edge
Trail clouds
Throughout the night, so
Even as it rises, the moon
I am yet awaiting!

Atsuyori
34

Daikōtaigōgū daijin kiyosuke-ason ke uta’awase 13

Round Thirteen

Left (Tie)

ひこぼしのくれをまつまはあぢきなく雲のよそなる心ちこそせね

hikoboshi no
kure o matsu ma wa
ajikinaku
kumo no yoso naru
kokochi koso sene
While the Herd Boy
The evening awaits,
He suffers—
Beyond the distant clouds
Is where his feelings lie!

Taifu
25

Right

さもこそは身はならはしといひながら七夕いかでたへてすぐらん

sa mo koso wa
mi wa narawashi to
iinagara
tanabata ikade
taete suguran
That is how it is—
Her flesh knows how it is,
They say, but
How is it that the Weaver Maid
Endures the passing days?

Kenshō

26

In terms of overall quality, the Left is superior, but I am unable to understand it. The conclusion of the Right is non-standard.

Entō ōn’uta’awase 15

Round Fifteen

Left (Win)

山たかみみだれてにほふ花桜人もすさめぬ春やへぬらん

yama takami
midarete niou
hanazakura
hito mo susamenu
haru ya henuran
In these mountain heights
The riotous glow of
Blooming cherries:
Is there no one to sing their praises
As spring passes by?[1]

Chikanari
29

Right

行末の山のかひより昨日みし雲もさながら桜なりけり

yukusue no
yama no kai yori
kinō mishi
kumo mo sanagara
sakura narikeri
On my way
Through mountain passes
Yesterday I saw
Clouds of white—all were
Cherries![2]

Ie’kiyo
30

The Right’s poem, having ‘mountain passes yesterday I saw’ sounds like it conveys the conception of Tsurayuki’s poem well, but isn’t it a bit pointless to end up with something that sounds like a Travel poem? The Left’s poem has the fine conception of the old poem which goes ‘In these mountain heights / There is no one to sing the praises of / You cherry blossoms’, so thus it must win.


[1] An allusive variation on: Topic unknown. 山たかみ人もすさめぬさくら花いたくなわびそ我みはやさむ yama takami / hito mo susamenu / sakurabana / itaku na wabi so / ware mihayasamu ‘In these mountain heights / There is no one to sing the praises of / You cherry blossoms. / Do not be aggrieved / For I will do it.’ Anonymous (KKS I: 50).

[2] An allusive variation on: When he was instructed by His Majesty to compose a poem, he composed this and presented it. 桜花さきにけらしもあしひきの山の峡よりみゆる白雲 sakurabana / sakinikerashi mo / ashihiki no / yama no kai yori / miyuru shirakumo ‘The cherry blossom / Seems to have bloomed, and from / The leg-wearying / Mountain passes / Appears white billowing clouds.’ Tsurayuki (KKS I: 59)

Entō ōn’uta’awase 14

Round Fourteen

Left (Win)

ちりちらず花より外の色ぞなきかさなる山の嶺の春風

chiri chirazu
hana yori hoka no
iro zo naki
kasanaru yama no
mine no harukaze
Scattered, or not,
Other than the blossoms’
Hues are there none
Layered upon the mountain
Peaks by the breeze in springtime.[1]

Shō
27

Right

かづらきやたかまの山はうづもれて空に棚引く春のしら雲

kazuragi ya
takama no yama wa
uzumorete
sora ni tanabiku
haru no shirakumo
In Kazuragi
Takama Mountain
Is buried by
Trailing across the skies
Clouds of white in springtime.

Nagatsuna
28

The Left’s poem appears fine. The Right’s poem, having ‘Takama Mountain is buried’ is both pretentious and does not link to anything. The Left must win.


[1] An allusive variation on: On a folding screen for the Kamo Virgin, for the place showing people going along a mountain path. ちりちらずきかまほしきをふるさとの花見て帰る人もあはなん chiri chirazu / kikamahoshiki o / furusato no / hana mitekaeru / hito mo awanan ‘Are they scattered, or not, is / What I would ask, but / The ancient estate’s / Blossom having seen and returned— / Those folk I would have you meet.’ Ise (SIS I: 49)

Entō ōn’uta’awase 10

Round Ten

Left (Win)

数ならぬ深山がくれを尋ねてぞ心の末の花も見るべき

kazu naranu
miyamagakure o
tazunete zo
kokoro no sue no
hana mo mirubeki
Not for many, but
Hidden deep within the mountains,
I go seeking for
My heart’s final desire:
Catching sight of a blossom.

The Former Minister of the Centre
19

Right

まがひこし雲をばよそに吹きなして峰の桜ににほふ春風

magaikoshi
kumo o ba yoso ni
fukinashite
mine no sakura ni
niou harukaze
I had mistaken
The clouds far away
A’blowing, for
Cherries on the peaks
Scenting the breeze of spring.

Kozaishō
20

Both Left and Right sound elegant, yet still the hue of ‘my heart’s final desire: blossom’ is something I can visualise—thus, it wins.