Tag Archives: Love and the Moon

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VI: 6

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Left (Win).
袖のうへになるるも人の形見かは我と宿せる秋の夜の月

sode no ue ni
naruru mo hito no
katami ka wa
ware to yadoseru
aki no yo no tsuki		 Resting atop my sleeves
Of my love so fond
Are these keepsakes?
Remaining with me, alone
Is the moon this autumn night…

A Servant Girl.
911

Right.
ひとり住む宿の気色とあはれとや憂き身とゝもに在明の月

hitori sumu
yado no keshiki to
aware to ya
ukimi to tomo ni
ariake no tsuki		 Living alone,
Is the sight of my home
So pitiful?
Alike are we in desolation,
O, dawntime moon!

Lord Tsune’ie.
912

The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Left state: the Right’s poem lacks a clear conception of love.

In judgement: the Left’s poem, indeed, has no faults. It should win.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VI: 5

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Left (Tie).
やすらひに出にしまゝの月の影我涙のみ袖に待てども

yasurai ni
idenishi mama no
tsuki no kage
wa ga namida nomi
sode ni matedomo		 Reluctantly
Emerged and left
That moonlight shape;
Though my tears, alone,
Upon my sleeves do wait…

Lord Sada’ie.
909

Right.
をろかにも思やるかな君もゝしひとりや今宵月を見るらん

oroka ni mo
omoiyaru kana
kimi mo moshi
hitori ya koyoi
tsuki o miruran		 Heedlessly
Do I wonder
Whether maybe she, too,
Is alone this night
And gazing at the moon…

Nobusada.
910

The Right state: we cannot grasp the sense of the Left’s poem. The Left state: we are unable to understand the reason for the Right’s use of ‘heedlessly’ (oroka ni mo).

In judgement: while both poems do appear to have some conception, the Gentlemen of both Left and Right appear to have stated that they are unable to grasp it. Far be it from me to provide an interpretation in the light of this, so I shall follow the Gentlemen’s remarks and make this round a tie.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VI: 4

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Left.
物思ふと月ゆへならで月を見て幾夜くもらぬ空もくもりぬ

mono’omou to
tsuki yue narade
tsuki o mite
ikuyo kumoranu
sora mo kumorinu		 My gloomy thoughts
Are not for the moon;
The moon I saw
For many nights, unclouded,
The skies, now clouded.

Lord Ari’ie.
907

Right (Win).
いかにして殘る心のありければ人をうらみて月を見るらん

ika ni shite
nokoru kokoro no
arikereba
hito o uramite
tsuki o miruran		 What is it that
In my heart remains
That
Hating her
I gaze upon the moon?

Ietaka.
908

The Right state: we find no faults to mention in the Left’s poem. The Left state: the Right’s poem is outstandingly good.

In judgement: it has been stated that the Left’s poem lacks faults, but having ‘Are not for the moon; the moon I saw’ (tsuki yue narade tsuki o mite), ‘unclouded’ (kumoranu) and then ‘clouded’ (kumorinu) is a superfluity of similar vocabulary, which is most disquieting. I wonder, too, the basis on which the Right’s poem can be judged outstandingly good? ‘In my heart remains that’ (nokoru kokoro no arikereba) sounds like a most unacceptable configuration, and overall, I am unable to grasp its meaning. Thus, I will judge according to the Gentlemen of the Left’s remarks, and make the Right the winner.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VI: 3

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Left (Tie).
つれもなき人をもさそへ夜はの月影ばかりだによそに見るやと

tsure mo naki
hito o mo sasoe
yowa no tsuki
kage bakari dani
yoso ni miru ya to		 That heartless
Man, will you invite
O midnight Moon!
Even just an image
In the distance would I wish to see…

Lord Suetsune.
905

Right.
秋の月妹が面影さそひきて我心にも宿すなりけり

aki no tsuki
imo ga omokage
sasoikite
wa ga kokoro ni mo
yadosu narikeri		 The autumn moon
My darling’s face
Does bring to me, and
Within my heart
Has it found a place to stay.

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
906

The Right state: if one is inviting someone to come and visit, then there is no reason to mention ‘just an image’ (kage bakari). We wonder whether the invitation is addressed to the sky? The Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.

In judgement: both Left and Right have the same conception of an invitation addressed to the moon. The Round can only be a tie.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VI: 2

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Left.
いかでなを戀しき人を山の端に待ち出で見る月と思はん

ikade nao
koshiki hito o
yama no ha ni
machi’ide miru
tsuki to omowan		 Somehow
Awaiting the one I love is
From the mountains’ edge
Awaiting a glimpse
Of the emerging moon, I feel…

Lord Kanemune.
903

Right (Win).
雨降れとわびてもいかが秋の夜の月ゆへならで人を待べき

ame fure to
wabite mo ikaga
aki no yo no
tsuki yue narade
hito o matsubeki		 Let the rain fall!
For what is my sorrow?
On this autumn night
If there were no moon
Would I await his coming?

Jakuren.
904

The Right state: the Left’s poem lacks any deep meaning. The Left state: we find no faults to mention.

In judgement: this round I will leave comment to the Gentlemen of both teams, and so make the Right the winner.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VI: 1

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Left (Win).
なぐさめし月にもはてはねをぞ泣く戀やむなしき空に滿つらん

nagusameshi
tsuki ni mo hate wa
ne o zo naku
koi ya munashiki
sora ni mitsuran		 Comforted was I once by
The moon, but at the end
My sobs
For love, the vast spaces of
The heavens do seem to fill…

Kenshō
901

Right.
月よなをくまこそなけれかきくらす戀の涙は雨と降れども

tsuki yo nao
kuma koso nakare
kakikurasu
koi no namida wa
ame to furedomo		 O, Moon! Before
You there is not a cloud, yet
Dimmed
With tears for love
The rain does fall…

Lord Takanobu.
902

The Right state: we find no faults to mention in the Left’s poem. The Left state: in the Right’s poem ‘O, Moon! Before’ (tsuki ya nao) is somewhat grating on the ear. In addition, the final section is clichéd.

In judgement: in the Left’s poem, ‘The moon, but at the end’ (tsuki ni mo hate wa) is certainly elegant. The Right’s poem begin’s ‘O, Moon!’ (tsuki yo) but lacks anything connected to it at the end. Thus, the Left must win.