When he had gone to Saga to dig up plants for his garden.
日暮しに見れ共あかぬ女郎花のべにや今宵旅ねしなまし
| higurasi ni miredomo akanu wominaFesi nobe ni ya koyoFi tabinesinamasi |
At the sunset I see, yet cannot get my fill Of maidenflowers, so In the fields tonight Should I make a traveller’s bed? |
Fujiwara no Nagayoshi
藤原長能
[One of] five poems sent by the Elder Maiden of Nakatomi to Yakamochi, Lord Ōtomo.
をみなへし佐紀沢に生ふる花かつみかつても知らぬ恋もするかも
| wominapesi sakisapa ni opuru panakatumi katute mo siranu kopi mo suru kamo |
A maidenflower as, At Saki Marsh grows The crested iris Still unknown is The love I feel. |
Elder Maiden of Nakatomi
中臣郎女
[One of] two poems composed by Yamanoue no Okura listing the flowers of the autumn fields.
萩の花尾花葛花なでしこの花をみなへしまた藤袴朝顔の花
| pagi no pana wobana kudupana nadesiko no pana wominapesi mata pudibakama asagapo no pana |
Bush clover blooms, Silver grass and kudzu, Pinks, Valerian And fujibakama, Morning glory blooms. |
Yamanoue no Okura
山上憶良
吹亂る風のけしきに女郎花しをれしぬべき心ちこそすれ
| Fukimidaru kaze no kesiki ni wominaesi siworesinubeki kokoti koso sure |
Blown into confusion in The midst of wind The maidenflowers All dejected Feel… |
夕立や垂乳根ならむぬれ顔もなほなつかしき女郎花かな
| yūdachi ya tarachine naramu nuregao mo nao natsukashiki ominaeshi kana |
Are the evening showers Their mother, perhaps? A tear-streaked face, too Is dear, indeed, On a maidenflower… |
Nakazane
Left.
女郎花まだきに霜をいたゞきて盛り過ぬる氣色なる哉
| ominaeshi madaki ni shimo o itadakite morisuginuru keshiki naru kana |
Upon the maidenflowers Already has frost Fallen, so Past their prime They look, indeed! |
457
Right (Win).
もみぢ葉はをのが染たるいろぞかしよそげに置ける今朝の霜かな
| momijiba wa ono ga sometaru iro zo kashi yosoge ni okeru kesa no shimo kana |
The autumn leaves – ‘Tis you have stained Them with your hue! Indifferently falling Frost-flakes in the morning… |
458
The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem this round. The Left wonder about the appropriateness of ‘indifferently falling’ (yosoge ni okeru).
Shunzei’s judgement: The Left saying that on ‘maidenflowers frost falling’ (ominaeshi shimo o itadaki) would put them past their prime seems pointless [sada ni oyobazaru ka]. In addition the final ‘they look, indeed’ (keshiki naru kana) seems feeble [chikara naki]. The Right’s style is intriguing [fūtei kyō arite]. I must make it the winner.
Left (Win).
萩が枝をしがらむ鹿も荒かりし風のねたさに猶しかずけり
| hagi ga eda oshigaramu shika mo arakarishi kaze no netasa ni nao shikazukeri |
Bush clover branches Tangled, are trodden by deer; The wild Wind’s spite O’erthrown. |
349
Right.
女郎花野分の風の荒さには靡きながらも露やこぼるゝ
| ominaeshi nowaki no kaze no arasa ni wa nabikinagaramo tsuyu ya koboruru |
Maidenflowers, In the gusting gales Rage, Trembling, Do they let fall their drops of dew? |
350
The Right wonder, ‘Whether the conception of “autumn gales” is adequately expressed by “wild winds”?’ In response, the Left say, ‘Poems on “autumn gales” are not found in previous ages. But is this not what is intended by poems such as “Wild winds have left behind”? Furthermore, on the gentlemen of the Right’s poem, as “gales” (nowaki) contain the sense of “rage” (arasa ni wa), is it not superfluous? Moreover, in the final section, the poem could refer to any blossom – not just maidenflowers.’
Shunzei states: ‘The Left’s “o’erthrown’ (nao shikazukeri) feels old-fashioned, while the prior section’s “wind’s spite” (kaze no netasa) is more modern. This produces a result akin to seeing a peasant wearing smart shoes, I feel. The Right’s “gales” letting dewdrops fall is so obvious a situation as to be pedestrian. Thus, despite the mis-match between sections in the Left’s poem, it must win.’
When the Hoshō-ji Lay Priest and Former Grand Minister [Fujiwara no Michinaga] plucked a maidenflower, and said Murasaki Shikibu must be able to compose an appropriate poem.
をみなへしさかりの色をみるからにつゆのわきける身こそしらるれ
| ominaeshi sakari no iro o miru kara ni tsuyu no wakikeru mi koso shirarure |
The maidenflowers’ Hues are at their best, I see, so The dewfall must have distinguished ‘Tween them and me–how well I know it! |
Murasaki Shikibu
紫式部