Poetry Match held by Noritada, Confucian Tutor to the Heir Apparent[i]

Topics

Poets

Judge

Sweet-flags in the Valley

Left

たにふかみたづねてぞひくあやめぐさちとせあるべきくすりとおもへば

tani fukami tazunete zo hiku ayamegusa chitose arubeki kusuri to omoeba

Deep within the valley Seek and pick Sweet-flags! For a thousand years longevity Will their draught bring, I feel…

1

Right

たにふかみおふるあやめのながきねはひきかつ人もあらじとぞおもふ

tani fukami ouru ayame no nagaki ne wa hiki katsu hito mo araji to zo omou

Deep within the valley Grow sweet-flags— So long their roots that A skillful picker Is there none, I feel!

2

Nine-knotted sweet-flags grow in valleys atop rocks, so every year on this day, folk gather together and pick sweet-flag roots to make medicine from them, so one should compose as though cupping the water of this conception in one’s hands. The overall impression of the Right’s poem, while it may be something encountered occasionally, is that it shows ignorance of the conception of the topic and only refers to how long the roots are—it loses, but there may be some depth there.

こころあさきみぎはにおふるあやめぐさひきどころなきものにざりける

kokoro asaki migiwa ni ouru ayamegusa hikidokoro naki mono ni zarikeru

Conception shallow Right by the water’s edge a’growing Are sweet flags: There’s no value in picking Such things!

Judge 1

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[i] Tōgū gakushi noritada uta’awase 東宮学士義忠歌合