Tag Archives: mountain breezes

Daikōtaigōgū daijin kiyosuke-ason ke uta’awase 08

Round Eight

Left (Tie)

うき世をば又なににかはなぐさめん花にさきだついのちともがな

ukiyo oba
mata nani ni ka wa
nagusamen
hana ni sakidatsu
inochi to mogana
In this cruel world
Is there yet anything else
To console me?
Before the blossoms’ departure
I would my life do the same…

Court Lady Taifu
15

Right

桜さく春の山風みねこせば雪ふりつもる谷のほそみち

sakura saku
haru no yamakaze
mine koseba
yuki furitsumoru
tani no hosomichi
When in cherry-blooming
Spring, the mountain breezes
Cross the peaks
Snow falls and piles high
Upon the narrow valley paths.

Moromitsu
16

Both poems are smooth, and on that basis, I would say that the Right is superior, but it has an archaic element, while the Left lacks anything unusual about it, so this is a tie of quality.

SZS I: 46

Composed on the conception of visiting distant blossom in the mountains, on a day when he was due to return after paying a visit to the residence of the regent.

たづねつる花のあたりになりにけりにほふにしるしはるの山かぜ

tazuneturu
Fana no atari ni
narinikeri
nioFu ni sirusi Fa
Faru no yamakaze
I have paid a visit to
A place of blossom
Here;
Of their scent a sign is carried
On the spring mountain breezes.

Former Emperor Sutoku

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.