Tag Archives: murasame

Autumn II: 6

Left (Tie).

小雨降る葛飾早稲を刈るまゝに民の袖さへうるほひにけり

kosame furu
katsushika wase o
karu mama ni
tami no sode sae
uruoinikeri
Showers fall in
Katsushika; early ripened rice
Reaping,
Even the peasants’ sleeves
Are damp.

Kenshō.

371

Right (Tie).

小萩咲く片山陰に日晩の鳴すさびたる村雨のそら

kohagi saku
katayamakage ni
higurashi no
nakisu sabitaru
murasame no sora
Bush clover blooming
In the mountain’s shade;
The sundown cicadas
Sing intermittently
To the showery skies.

Jakuren.

372

Neither team has any criticisms to make.

Shunzei say, ‘The style and construction of both poems is superb, though the Left’s is particularly archaic in tone, and thus using mama ni in the central section is somewhat weak, is it not? Surely, “Whilst reaping” (karu nae ni) would have been a better fit! The Right’s simple conclusion of “showery skies” (murasame no sora) is particularly effective. However, the Left, too, with “even the peasants’ sleeves” (tami no sode sae) shows a fine spirit. The two poems are a match and tie.’

Autumn II: 5

Left (Win).

降り暮す小萩がもとの庭の雨を今夜は荻の上に聞く哉

furikurasu
kohagi ga moto no
niwa no ame o
koyoi wa ogi no
ue ni kiku kana
Falling with the darkness
To the solitary bush-clover’s roots
The rain within my garden
Tonight, on the silver grass
I hear.

A Servant Girl.

369

Right.

荻原や野邊の秋風末分てさびしさ添ふる村雨の聲

ogiwara ya
nobe no aki kaze
sue wakete
sabishisa souru
murasame no koe
Silver grass meadows –
Across the fields the autumn wind
Brushes the fronds;
Adding loneliness to
The whisper of showers…

Lord Takanobu.

370

The Right say, ‘In the Left’s poem, it sounds as if the rain falls in daytime on “the solitary bush-clover’s roots” (kohagi ga moto) and at night “on the silver grass” (ogi no ue).’ The Left have no criticisms of the Right’s poem.

Shunzei judges, ‘I see no fault in saying that the “rain falling with the darkness” (furikurasu ame) is something one can see on the bush clover’s roots during the day, but only hear at night. As for the Right, “Across the fields the autumn wind brushes the fronds” (nobe no aki kaze sue wakete) is superb in construction. In the final line “whisper of showers” (murasame no koe) , though, “whisper” is an excessively direct personalisation, is it not? The spirit of the Left’s “on the silver grass” must win.”

Autumn II: 4

Left.

古の人を聞くにも秋の夜の窓打つ雨はさびしかりけり

inishie no
hito o kiku ni mo
aki no yo no
mado utsu ame wa
sabishikarikeri
Long ago
The ladies, I hear,
On autumn nights
With rain beating ‘gainst the window
Were lonely, as am I…

Lord Kanemune.

367

Right.

軒近き松の風だにある物を窓打ち添ふる秋の村雨

noki chikaki
matsu no kaze dani
aru mono o
mado uchisouru
aki no murasame
Close by my eaves,
Waiting, with the wind through the pines,
Striking,
The window, beaten by
Autumn showers.

Ietaka.

368

The Right complain, ‘In the Left’s poem, the poet seems to hear of the appearance of “long ago ladies”, but what is it that he hears – one would usually expect more, would one not?’ The Left have no criticisms of the Right’s poem.

Shunzei broadly agrees: ‘The Left’s poem, in saying “ladies, I hear” would certainly seem to be recollecting the concubines at the court of Xuanzong, but I wonder if this is clearly enough expressed in the poem? The Right’s final section “The window, beaten by Autumn showers” (mado uchisouru aki no murasame) sounds particularly fine. Thus, the Right wins.’

Autumn II: 2

Left.

行方無き秋の思ひぞせかれぬる村雨なびく雲の遠方

yukue naki
aki no omoi zo
sekarenuru
murasame nabiku
kumo no ochikata
My endless
Thoughts of autumn
Have been interrupted by
The showers streaming from
The far-off clouds.

Lord Sada’ie.

363

Right.

日に添へて秋の涼しさ集ふ也時雨はまだし夕暮の雨

hi ni soete
aki no suzushisa
tsudounari
shigure wa madashi
yūgure no ame
With the setting of the sun
Comes the cool of
Autumn;
‘Tis not yet shower season,
Yet evening brings the rain…

Nobusada.

364

The Right complain that the Left’s ‘far-off clouds’ (kumo no ochikata) is ‘difficult to understand’. The Left initially query the meaning of madashi, and then say it’s ‘not a good expression’.

Shunzei states, ‘The gentlemen of the Right have stated that “far-off clouds” is difficult to grasp, and this is certainly the case. Moreover, it is difficult to determine the voice of the speaker here. Madashi is unproblematic. It’s usual sense in poetry is “not yet” – as can be seen from the Kokinshu’s “were I to hear words yet unspoken”. The final section of the Right’s poem is particularly charming. It must win.’