Tag Archives: kagamiyama

Teiji-in uta’awase 12

Left (Tie)

うつつにはさらにもいはじさくらばなゆめにもちるとみえばうからむ

utsutsu ni wa
sara ni mo iwaji
sakurabana
yume ni mo chiru to
mieba ukaramu
In the waking world
There is nothing more I might say,
O, cherry blossom!
You scattering through my dreams—
How I would hate to see it!

Mitsune
23

Right

はなのいろをうつしとどめよかがみやまはるよりのちにかげやみゆると

hana no iro o
utsushi to tomeyo
kagamiyama
haru yori nochi ni
kage ya miyuru to
The blossoms’ hues’
Reflection: hold it,
Mirror Mountain!
That after the springtime’s gone
I might see their shades.

Korenori
24[i]


[i] This poem is included in Shūishū (I: 73), attributed to Korenori, with the headnote, ‘From Former Emperor Uda’s Poetry Contest.’

San’i minamoto no hirotsune ason uta’awase 14

First snow seen at dawn (暁見初雪)

Left

鏡山あか月方に見わたせばあまぎりあひて初雪ぞふる

kagamiyama
akatsukikata ni
miwataseba
amagiri aite
hatsuyuki zo furu
When Mirror Mountain
At the edge of dawn
I do survey
Blended with the misting rain is
The first fall of snow.

Fujiwara no Akinobu, Secretary of Music
27

Right

あさぼらけまだふみ分けぬ初雪にいづれを道とわきぞかねつる

asaborake
mada fumiwakenu
hatsuyuki ni
izure o michi to
waki zo kanetsuru
By dawn’s first light
As yet no feet have marked
This first fall of snow;
How long can the path
Remain untrodden?

Akichika, Ranked without office
28

Love X: 11

Left (Tie)
東路や萱津の原の朝霧に起き別るらん袖はものかは

azumaji ya
kayatsu no hara no
asagiri ni
okiwakaruran
sode wa mono ka wa
On the eastern roads,
Upon the field of Kayatsu
With the morning mists
Does he rise and part, but
Are his sleeves as mine?

Lord Ari’ie
1161

Right
さまざまにうつる心も鏡山影見ぬ人を恋ふるものかは

samazama ni
utsuru kokoro mo
kagamiyama
kage minu hito o
kouru mono ka wa
Many
Hearts does she attract upon
Mirror Mount,
But with one whose face remains unseen
Would I fall in love?

Lord Takanobu
1162

The Right state: the Left’s poem is fine. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to mention.

In judgement: both poems are certainly by men entranced by thoughts of player-girls. The configuration and diction of ‘are his sleeves as mine?’ (sode wa mono ka wa) and ‘would I fall in love?’ (kouru mono ka wa) are both not unpleasant. Thus, I make this a tie.

Love X: 7

Left
頼むなるあさけ神しも幣はせん君が心やわれになびくと

tanomu naru
asake kami shimo
nusa wa sen
kimi ga kokoro ya
ware ni nabiku to
Worship she does
The goddess Asake, so should even
I make her an offering?
Then might my lady’s heart
Trail in my direction…

Kenshō
1153

Right (Win)
鏡山君に心やうつるらむいそぎ立たれぬ旅衣かな

kagamiyama
kimi ni kokoro ya
utsururamu
isogi tatarenu
tabigoromo kana
Upon Mirror Mount
Has my heart
Found lodging? For
In haste to rise and don
My travelling garb, I am not!

Lord Tsune’ie
1154

Left and Right state: there are no faults to mention in either poem.

In judgement: both Left and Right here refer to a ‘person’ (kimi), with the Left’s ‘making her an offering’ (nusa wa sen) that she might ‘trail in my direction’ (ware ni nabiku ya), while the Right’s has left his heart on Mirror Mount and ‘is not in haste to rise and don his travelling garb’ (isogi tatarenu tabigoromo): each of these poems is evocative, and makes effective use of wordplay, with the Left’s ‘make her an offering’ certainly resembling something I have come across previously, but the initial ‘goddess Asake’ is poor. The Right’s ‘Mirror Mount’ (kagami yama) is something I am familiar with, and this has a gentle tone. Thus, the Right wins.