Tag Archives: memento

Yamato monogatari

Yamato monogatari 42

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The late Master of the Right Capital Office was Lord Muneyuki. While he was fretting over when he might achieve advancement, His Majesty, the Cloistered Teishi Emperor was presented with a stone with seaweed clinging to it from the province of Ki, and various people presented poems on the topic. The Master of the Right Capital Office composed

沖つ風ふけゐの浦にたつなみのなこりにさへや我はしつまん

oki tsu kaze
fukei no ura ni
tatsu nami no
nagori ni sae ya
ware wa shitsuman		From the offing the wind blows
Upon the beach at Fukei;
Are the breaking waves
Indeed a memento
I might keep?
Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love IX: 28

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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.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VIII: 21

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Left (Win)
うらやまず臥す猪の床はやすくとも歎も形見寢ぬも契りを

urayamazu
fusu i no toko wa
yasukutomo
nageku mo katami
nenu mo chigiri o		 I do not envy
The boar lounging in his bed:
He may be at ease, yet
Grief, too, is a memento;
Lying sleepless marks our bond…

Lord Sada’ie
1061

Right
いかにわれ臥す猪の床に身をかへて夢の程だに契結はん

ika ni ware
fusu i no toko ni
mi o kaete
yume no hodo dani
chigiri musuban		 Somehow I
To a boar lounging in his bed
Would change myself, and
For just a brief dream’s length
Would form a bond with you…

Lord Takanobu
1062

The Gentlemen of the Right state: the initial line of the Left’s poem sounds poor. The sense of the ending, too, is difficult to grasp. The Gentlemen of the Left state: we wonder about the appropriateness of changing oneself into a bed.

In judgement:  both Left and Right refer to ‘a boar lounging in his bed’ (fusu i no toko), and it has been mentioned that the initial line of the Left’s poem sounds poor, and that its ending is difficult to grasp. There really are a number of unacceptable aspects to this poem, are there not, so I cannot add any further words to what has been said. The Right’s poem is not suggesting that one change oneself into a bed. It is saying that one should briefly become a boar, that one might dream briefly of love. How can one possibly see the dream of a boar lying asleep? It certainly seems inferior to ‘not envying a lounging boar’.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 21

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Left (Win).

あづまやの軒にしづくをとゞめをきて程なく晴れぬ夕立の空

azumaya no
noki ni shizuku o
todomeokite
hodo naku harenu
yūdachi no sora		 On all four sides
From the eaves droplets
Yet hang;
Quickly clearing is
The evening shower from the sky.

Lord Suetsune.

281

Right.

夕立のほどこそしばしとまりつれなごりも涼しみ山木の陰

yūdachi no
hodo koso shibashi
tomaritsure
nagori mo suzushi
miyamagi no kage		 The evening shower’s
Span, but briefly
Would I rest here;
Coolness, a memento
In the shade of mountain trees.

Lord Takanobu.

282

The Right query, ‘The use of “from the eaves droplets” (noki ni shizuku). Surely it should be “on the eaves droplets” (noki no shizuku)?’ The Left respond, ‘These are identical in meaning and have no real difference.’ They then wonder, ‘Whether the Right’s poem has not changed in topic to tree shade?’

Shunzei says simply, ‘Both Left’s latter section, and the Right’s initial section are particularly pedestrian in expression, but the Left’s “From the eaves droplets” is slightly superior.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Spring I: 11

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Left (Tie).

天の原春とも見えぬながめかなこぞのなごりの雪の明ぼの

ama no hara
haru tomo mienu
nagame kana
kozo no nagori no
yuki no akebono		 Upon the plain of Heaven
Of Spring there is no sign
In sight:
A memento of the year that’s gone,
Snowfall with the dawning.

Lord Ari’ie

21

Right (Tie).

なごりには春の袂も冴えにけり霞より散る雪のけしきに

nagori ni wa
haru no tamoto mo
saenikeri
kasumi yori chiru
yuki no keshiki ni		 The memento
Also upon my springtime sleeves
Stands clear:
Drifting from the haze,
A scene of snow.

Nobusada

22

In this round the Right team have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem, but the Left query beginning a poem with ‘memento’, as the audience then immediately wonder, ‘A memento of what?’

Shunzei comments that the Left’s poem starts extremely well, but that, even though ‘in sight’ (nagame kana) has been frequently used in poetry recently, its spirit has yet to be fully determined, and so including it here must be considered a mistake. Furthermore, the concluding line, ‘snowfall with the dawning’ (yuki no akebono), has also been much used in recent poetry. As for the Right’s poem, he feels it ends extremely well, but echoes the criticism of the Left about the beginning. Thus, the best result for this round is a tie.