Groves 原
なにしおはばとらやふすらん東路にあるといふなるもろこしの原
| na ni shi owaba tora ya fusuran azuma ji ni aru to iu naru morokoshi no hara | If the name fits, then Do, indeed, tigers rest Upon the eastern roads, where They say lies Morokoshi grove? |
Tadafusa
Tag Archives: morokoshi
Love VIII: 23
Left (Tie)
身を捨てゝ思へといはゞ唐国の虎臥す谷に世をもつくさん
| mi o sutete omoe to iwaba karakuni no tora fusu tani ni yo o mo tsukusan |
‘Abandon all restraint, and Love me!’ say that, and In far Cathay, In a valley where tiger’s lie Would I end my life! |
Kenshō
1065
Right
もろこしの虎臥す嶋もへだつらん思はぬ中のうときけしきは
| morokoshi no tora fusu shima mo hedatsuran omowanu naka no utoki keshiki wa |
In Cathay, Isles where tigers lie Stand in between: A heedless love’s Chill is such a sight! |
Jakuren
1066
Left and Right together: both tigers do not seem to emphasise anything in particular.
In judgement: both poems refer to ‘tigers’ (tora), with the Left having ‘a valley where tigers lie’ (tora fusu tani) and the Right ‘isles where tigers lie’ (tora fusu shima). These seem to be an attempt to differ from the standard ‘meadow’ (nobe). Saying ‘valley’ or ‘isles’ makes both poems sound modern. They are of the same quality.
SKKS I: 5
On the conception of the beginning of spring, composed for a hundred poem sequence for the Lay Priest and former Regent and Chancellor, when he was Minister of the Right.
今日といへば大唐までもゆく春を都にのみと思ひけるかな
| kyō to ieba morokoshi made mo yuku haru o miyako ni nomi to omoikeru kana |
On this day, the spring that Even unto Cathay Will travel is In the capital alone I feel! |
Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Shunzei
皇太后宮大夫俊成
Love I: 18
Left.
唐土の見ず知らぬ世の人ばかり名にのみ聞きて止みねとや思ふ
| morokoshi no mizu shiranu yo no hito bakari na ni nomi kikite yamine to ya omou |
Distant Cathay: Unseen and unknown once was to Folk – every one; With the report of your name, alone, Will our love be over? |
635
Right.
いかにして露をば袖に誘ふらんまだ見ぬ里の萩の上風
| ika ni shite tsuyu o ba sode ni sasouran mada minu sato no hagi no uwakaze |
What am I to do? Dewfall to my sleeves Has come, brought from A dwelling, yet unseen, By breeze upon the bush-clover… |
636
The Right state that the Left’s use of ‘every one’ (bakari) connects poorly with the subsequent section [kakeawazu]. The Left state that the while the style of the Right’s poem seems elegant [sono tei yū ni niru to iedomo], ‘A dwelling, yet unseen bush-clover’ (mada minu sato no hagi) is hard to hear [kikigataku].
Shunzei’s judgement: ‘Distant Cathay unseen and unknown once’ (morokoshi no mizu shiranu yo) must be referring to the Three Histories and Eight Dynasties. This seems to be meaningful, but does not really indicate anything profound. As for ‘a dwelling, yet unseen bush-clover’, whichever way you look at it, it is modified by ‘dewfall has come’ (tsuyu o sasouran). However, the Left also has the recollection of Cathay, so the two poems are comparable.
Miscellaneous 97
Left.
大井河まれの御幸に年へぬる紅葉のふなぢ跡は有りけり
| ôikawa mare no miyuki ni toshi henuru momiji no funaji ato wa arikeri |
Ôikawa Rarely, now, does His Majesty come; Year have passed, yet Through the coat of autumn leaves the boat Still leaves its wake. |
193
Right (Win).
たらちめや又もろこしに松浦舟今年もくれぬ心づくしに
| tarachime ya mata morokoshi ni matsurabune kotoshi mo kurenu kokorozukushi ni |
Does my mother Yet in Cathay Await the boat from Matsura? This year is done, and I am Desolate, in Tsukushi. |
194
Love 76
Left (Win).
袖の浦かりにやどりし月草のぬれてのゝちを猶やたのまん
| sode no ura kari ni yadorishi tsukigusa no nurete no nochi o nao ya tanoman |
Upon the sands of my sleeves, You were briefly beached: In a dayflower Drenched, Can I place my trust? |
151
Right.
はるかなる人の心のもろこしはさはぐ湊にことづてもなし
| harukanaru hito no kokoro no morokoshi wa sawagu minato ni kotozute mo nashi |
Distant, Her heart as Cathay: To the harbour tumult, Comes not a single word… |
152