Composed for the Poetry Competition held at the Residence of the Former Uji Grand Minister in Chōgen 8 [1035].
君が世は白雲かかる筑波嶺の峰のつづきの海となるまで
| kimi ga yo Fa sirakumo kakaru tukubane no mine no tuduki no umi to naru made |
My Lord’s reign: White clouds cling To the peak of Tsukuba; Until those very heights Shall sink into the sea! |
Nōin
Composed for the Imperial Palace Poetry Competition in the Fourth Year of Eishō [1049].
いつとなく心空なるわが戀やふじの高嶺にかゝる白雲
| itu to naku kokoro sora naru wa ga koFi ya Fuzi no takane ni kakaru sirakumo |
Before I know it In my heart, sky-bound Is my love Above the high peak of Fuji Hanging with the clouds so white? |
Sagami
相模
Left (Win).
秋ならば月待つことの憂からまし櫻にくらす春の山里
| aki naraba tsuki matsu koto no ukaramashi sakura ni kurasu haru no yamazato |
Were it autumn, Waiting for the moon is Bitter, indeed, but Amongst the cherry blossom do I live, In my mountain hut in springtime. |
129
Right.
白雲の八重立つ山の花を見て歸る家路も日ははるか也
| shirakumo no yae tatsu yama no hana o mite kaeru ieji mo hi wa harukanari |
Clouds of white, Lie eight-fold upon the mountains; Gazing on the blossoms, being Homeward bound at Sundown seems a long, long way away… |
130
The Right team have no particular criticisms of the Left’s poem this round. The Left, though, say ‘What are we to make of ‘Sundown seems a long, long way away’ (hi wa harukanari)?’ (Probably suggesting it’s an insufficiently poetic expression to use in a waka.)
Shunzei doesn’t address the Left’s criticism in his judgement, simply saying, ‘The Left’s final section starting “amongst the cherry blossom do I live” (sakura ni kurasu) sounds charming. It must win.’
Sent to a woman with whom he had been exchanging letters, when he heard that a superior in the same office had been visiting her.
白雲の峰にしもなどかよふらんおなじ三笠の山のふもとを
| shirakumo no mine nishimo nado kayouran onaji mikasa no yama no fumoto o |
These clouds of white, Why do they cluster ‘round the peak? Coming and going From the selfsame Mikasa Mountain’s foot… |
Fujiwara no Yoshitaka (954-974)