A willow tangled by the wind.
見わたせばさほのかはらにくりかけてかぜによらるるあをやぎのいと
| miwataseba sao no kawara ni kurikakete kaze ni yoraruru aoyanagi no ito | When I gaze across The riverbank at Sao Interwoven, Carried by the wind are Threads of green willow… |
54
Tag Archives: threads
Sankashū I: 53
Tametadake shodo hyakushu 116
Reikeiden no nyōgo uta’awase 08
Willow
Left (Win in a certain text)
あをやぎのえだにかかれるいとなくははるのくるをもしらずやあらまし
| aoyagi no eda ni kakareru ito naku wa haru no kuru o mo shirazu ya aramashi | If, from the green willow Branches hanging Were there no threads, then Of spring’s coming Would there be any knowing? |
15
Right (Win)
あさごとにまづもみるかなあをやぎのいとはよるよるいろやまさると
| asa goto ni mazu mo miru kana aoyagi no ito wa yoruyoru iro ya masaru to | Every single morning First will I behold them! For the green willow Threads after each night Might be the best hue of all? |
16
Dairi uta’awase – Tentoku yo nen 04
Round Four
Willows
Left
あらたまのとしをつむらんあをやぎのいとはいづれの春かたゆべき
| aratama no toshi o tsumuran aoyagi no ito wa izure no haru ka tayubeki | New jewels, The years seem to spin out Green willow Threads: when might The spring be that they snap? |
Mochiki
8[i]
Right (Win)
さほひめのいとそめかくるあをやぎをふきなみだりそ春の山風
| saohime no ito somekakuru aoyagi o fuki na midari so haru no yamakaze | Princess Sao Has dyed the dangling threads of Green willow— O, don’t blow them into tangles, Spring breeze from the mountains! |
Kanemori
9
While the Right’s poem was being recited, the gentlemen of the Left stated, ‘The current willow poem was already recited out of sequence, and yet they desire to recite it again. It seems they have forgotten basic procedure!’ This minor official replied, ‘His Majesty’s ruling has already been granted on this matter following the Left’s request when the poems on bush warblers were recited, so this objection cannot be raised again.’
In the Left’s poem ‘New jewels, / The years seem to spin out / Green willow’ lacks sense. While the Right’s poem has nothing worth mentioning about it, it does not appear to have any faults, and thus it wins.
[i] A variant on this poem is included in Goshūishū (I: 74), as well as in some texts of this match: Composed on willows for the Palace Poetry Match held in Tentoku 4. あらたまのとしをへつつもあをやぎのいとはいづれのはるかたゆべき aratama no / toshi o hetsutsu mo / aoyagi no / ito wa izure no / haru ka tayubeki ‘New jewels, / The years pass ever by with / Green willow / Threads: when might / The spring be that they snap?’ Given Saneyori’s judgement, however, I am following Hagitani and Taniyama (1965, 80) in prioritising this version.
Dairi uta’awase – Tentoku yo nen 03
Round Three
Left (Win)
わがやどの梅がえになくうぐひすは風のたよりにかをやとめこし
| wa ga yado no ume ga e ni naku uguisu wa kaze no tayori ni ka o ya tomekoshi | Upon my dwelling’s Branch of plum a’singing, Has the warbler By a message on the breeze Carrying fragrance perhaps been summoned? [i] |
Asatada
5[ii]
Right
さほひめのいとそめかくるあをやぎをふきなみだりそ春の山風
| saohime no ito somekakuru aoyagi o fuki na midari so haru no yamakaze | Princess Sao Has dyed the dangling threads of Green willow— O, don’t blow them into tangles, Spring breeze from the mountains! |
Kanemori
6
Warblers should have appeared here, but this is a poem about willows, so it loses.
しろたへの雪ふりやまぬ梅がえにいまぞうぐひす花となくなる
| shirotae no yuki furiyamanu ume ga e ni ima zo uguisu hana to nakunaru | White as mulberry cloth The snow falls unceasing— Upon the branch of plum, Now, indeed, the warbler, Sings of the blossom! |
Kanemori
7
Despite the mistaken composition, His Majesty required the original poem and it was located and recited.
Lord Hiromasa, the Reciter for the Right, mistakenly recited the willow poem. The Left raised an objection, saying, ‘He should have recited the warbler poem but, instead, erroneously recited the willow poem. Should he really be allowed to recite the correct poem now?’ The substance of the Left’s objection was conveyed to His Majesty, who instructed, ‘Provide a report based on prior precedent.’
This minor official advised His Majesty, ‘The Left’s objection is not unreasonable. However, matters such as this are best determined according to the circumstance of the occasion. As this was simply human error, why discriminate against the poem?’
Thus, His Majesty ordered that the poem be recited.
When he did so, Lord Hiromasa turned pale and was unable to recite the poem straight away. Although he finally managed to do so, his voice trembled and the Left laughed at him. Furthermore, the poem’s diction contained the nonsensical expression ‘sings of the blossom’, and thus this was still a loss.
[i] An allusive variation on: A poem from the Empress’ poetry competition held in the Kanpyō period. 花の香を風のたよりにたぐへてぞ鶯さそふしるべにはやる hana no ka o / kaze no tayori ni / taguete zo / uguisu sasou / shirube ni wa yaru ‘The blossoms’ scent / Messaged on the breeze / Brings / An invitation to the warbler / To try and bring him forth!’ Ki no Tomonori (Kokinshū I: 13)
[ii] This poem was included in Gyokuyōshū (I: 42), attributed to Asatada, with the headnote ‘On warblers, from the Palace Poetry Match in Tentoku 4’.
SIS IV: 221
For a folding screen in the residence of the Fourth Princess, during the reign of the Engi Emperor.
流れくる紅葉ば見ればからにしき滝の糸してをれるなりけり
| nagarekuru momidiba mireba karanisiki taki no ito site woreru narikeri | Flowing along, When the scarlet leaves I see, Cathay brocade With a waterfall for threads Woven, they are. |
Tsurayuki
Kinkai wakashū 561
MYS VII: 1340
SIS VIII: 449
When a large number of people had gone to Daikakuji and were composing on the old waterfall.
たきの糸はたえてひさしく成りぬれど名こそ流れて猶きこえけれ
| taki no ito Fa taete Fisasiku narinuredo na koso nagarete naFo kikoekere | The cataract’s threads Snapped so long Ago, yet Its name flows on and Is yet heard. |
Kintō, Captain of the Outer Palace Guards, Right Division
