Tag Archives: shima

MYS XIX: 4232

A poem by Kamō, the dancing girl.

雪嶋 巌尓殖有 奈泥之故波 千世尓開奴可 君之挿頭

ゆきのしま いはほにうゑたる なでしこは ちよにさかぬか きみがかざしに

yuki no sima
ipapo ni uwetaru
nadesiko pa
tiyo ni sakanu ka
kimi ga kazasi ni
Snow lies heavy on the garden’s
Rocks where grow
The pinks:
O, won’t you bloom a thousand years?
That my Lord may wear you in his hair…

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.