星さきや熱田の潟の漁火のほのも知りぬや思ふ心を
| Fosi saki ya atuta no kata no isaribi no Fono mo sirinu ya omoFu kokoro wo |
Stars leading the way: On the sands of Atsuta Fishing fires Faintly revealed As are the thoughts within my heart? |
Minamoto no Nakazane
源仲実
Tag Archives: fishing fires
Summer I: 24
Left (Win).
夜川たつ五月來ぬらし瀬瀬を尋め八十伴の男も篝さすはや
| yogawa tatsu satsuki kinurashi sese o tome yasotomo no o mo kagari sasu wa ya |
The night fishing Fifth Month has come, and to Rapid after rapid go Eighty gentlemen Bearing fishing fires… |
227
Right.
鵜飼舟高瀬さし越すほどなれやむすぼゝれゆく篝火の影
| ukaibune takase sashikosu hodo nare ya musubōreyuku kagaribi no kage |
The cormorant boats: O’er the risen rapids Will they pass this time? All in tangles are The lights of the fishing fires… |
228
The Right state simply that the Left’s poem is ‘grating on the ear’, and the Left are equally blunt: ‘It is unconvincing to state that fire tangles.’
Shunzei states, ‘“Night fishing” (yogawa tatsu) seems to me to be an extremely overblown expression. And, “All in tangles are the lights of the fishing fires” (musubōreyuku kagaribi no kage) – this is, indeed, something that can be seen when crossing rapids where the water is high. The Left’s poem is certainly unmelodious, however, having such a dichotomy between the beginning and end of a poem, as in the Right’s case is, I think, insupportable. Thus, for this reason, the Left should win, I think.
Summer I: 22
Left (Win).
篝火の影だにあらじ後の世の闇をも知らぬ鵜飼舟かな
| kagaribi no kage dani araji nochi no yo no yami o mo shiranu ukaibune kana |
Not even the fishing fires’ Light will reach The world to come Darkness all unknowing are The cormorant boats. |
223
Right.
大井川幾瀬のぼれば鵜飼舟嵐の山の明わたるらん
| ōikawa ikuse noboreba ukaibune arashi no yama no akewataruran |
Ōi River Rapids running up are The cormorant boats; To the Mount of Storms Does dawn return? |
224
The Right state merely that, ‘The Left’s poem has nothing to apologise for,’ while the Left comment, ‘stating that “dawn” (ake) returns to a mountain to the west is illogical. Moreover, in the three lines “The cormorant boats; To the Mount of Storms Does dawn return?” (ukaibune arashi no yama no akewataruran) the meanings of each line are different and fail to follow on one from the other.’
Shunzei is in general agreement: ‘The gentlemen of the Right have already allowed that the Left’s poem has nothing to apologise for. The have also stated that it is not the case that night lightens from the west, but it is certainly the case that it is possible to see the dawn light growing upon the western mountains. However, the cormorant boats’ practice is normally to run down the rapids, and saying “rapids running up” (ikuse noboreba) suggests that this is happening after they have gone down. Dawn is then exceptionally late. In any case, the Right’s poem has a number of doubtful sections, while the Left’s is without error, as has already been stated. It must win.’
Summer I: 21
Left.
をちこちにながめやかはす鵜飼舟闇を光の篝火の影
| ochikochi ni nagame ya kawasu ukaibune yami o hikari no kagaribi no kage |
Near and far My gaze goes back and forth; Cormorant boats Light the darkness with Fishing-fires’ glow. |
221
Right (Win).
鵜飼舟あはれとぞ見るものゝふの八十宇治川の夕闇の空
| ukaibune aware to zo miru mononofu no yaso ujigawa no yūyami no sora |
The cormorant boats Seem so keen! Warriors, Eighty in all, on Uji River, Beneath the darkening evening sky… |
222
The Right comment that, ‘In the Left’s poem, “light the darkness” (yami o hikari) does not seem that elegant an expression,’ while the Left can find no fault with the Right’s poem.
Shunzei agrees: ‘“Light the darkness with fishing-fires’ glow” (yami o hikari no kagaribi no kage) does not seem particularly satisfactory in sense. The Right’s “Eighty in all, on Uji River, beneath the darkening evening sky” (yaso ujigawa no yūyami no sora) is especially fine. There is no question but that it wins.’
Summer I: 20
Left.
後の世を知らせがほにも篝火のこがれて過ぐる鵜飼舟哉
| nochi no yo o shirasegao ni mo kagaribi no kogarete suguru ukaibune kana |
The afterlife: Foretold by The fishing-fires, Ever blazing from The cormorant boats. |
219
Right (Win).
ますらおが夜川に立つる篝火に深きあはれをいかで見すらん
| masurao ga yo kawa ni tatsuru kagaribi ni fukaki aware o ikade misuran |
Stalwart men: Upon the night-time river Why do the fishing-fires Such deep sorrow Show? |
220
Again, neither team has any criticisms to make this round.
Shunzei states, ‘The wording after the Left’s “Foretold by the fishing-fires” (shirasegao ni mo kagaribi no) is surely somewhat unsatisfactory. The Right’s “Such deep sorrow” (fukaki aware o) appears much better. It should win.’