Tag Archives: today

Naidaijin-ke uta’awase 24

Round Twelve

Left

霜枯に移ひ残る村菊はみる朝ごとにめづらしきかな

shimogare ni
utsuroinokoru
muragiku wa
miru asa goto ni
mezurashiki kana
Burned by frost,
Faded and lingering
A cluster of chrysanthemums
When I see them every morn
Strikes me afresh!

Lord Toshitaka
47

Right (Both Judges – Win)

置くしものなからましかば菊のはな移ふ色をけふみましやは

oku shimo no
nakaramashikaba
kiku no hana
utsurou iro o
kyō mimashi ya wa
Fallen frost
Were there none, then
Chrysanthemum blooms
Faded hues
I would not see today…

Lord Tamezane
48

Toshiyori states: the first poem has nothing remarkable about it, apart from the undesirable use of ‘clustered chrysanthemums’. The second poem’s sense could be that when the frost has fallen, the chrysanthemum won’t display faded hues, but it is a mistake to link frost fall and being able to see them. However, if we interpret is as meaning it has fallen, so we can then view them for a long time, well, I can understand that, and will make it the winner.

Mototoshi states: this poem has no faults, but it does not appear to be a poem suited to a poetry match—it’s just rather dull. The poem of the Right, too, lacks anything worth pointing out and just says that the poet wants to gaze upon faded hues today—this seems a bit cliched, but I’d say it’s superior.

Tōin senzai awase 11

Left – Gentian

かはのうへにけふよりうたむあじろにはまづもみぢばやよらんとすらむ

kawa no ue ni
kyō yori utamu
ajiro ni wa
mazu momijiba ya
yoramu to suramu
Atop the river
From today will they strike
Upon the fish traps—
Is it the scarlet leaves that first
Will make to draw near?

19a

かはのうへにいまよりうたむあじろにはまづもみぢばやよらんとすらむ

kawa no ue ni
ima yori utamu
ajiro ni wa
mazu momijiba ya
yoramu to suramu
Atop the river
From this moment will they strike
Upon the fish traps—
Is it the scarlet leaves that first
Will make to draw near?

19b

Right – Missing

This poem is an acrostic, with ‘gentian’ (riutamu) contained within yori utamu.

Tōin senzai awase 09

Left – Chrysanthemums

きくをうゑて花おもほゆるけふよりはながづきをこそまちわたりけれ

kiku o uete
hana omohoyuru
kyō yori wa
nagazuki o koso
machiwatarikere
I planted chrysanthemums, and
Wondering about the blooms
From today
For the Longest Month
Will I always be awaiting.

13a

きくをうゑて花おもほゆる今よりはながづきをこそまちわたりけれ

kiku o uete
hana omohoyuru
ima yori wa
nagazuki o koso
machiwatarikere
I planted chrysanthemums, and
Wondering about the blooms
From this moment
For the Longest Month
Will I always be awaiting.

13b

Right

よにふれどおいもしられぬものなればいまよりうゑつながづきのきく 

yo ni furedo
oi mo shirarenu
mono nareba
ima yori uetsu
nagazuki no kiku
My life goes by, yet
Old age I know not
So
From this moment have I planted
Chrysanthemums in the Longest Month.

14a

よにふれどおいもしられぬものなればいまよりうつすながづきのきく

yo ni furedo
oi mo shirarenu
mono nareba
ima yori utsusu
nagazuki no kiku
My life goes by, yet
Old age I know not
So
From this moment fading are
Chrysanthemums in the Longest Month

14b

Sumiyoshi-sha uta’awase kaō ni-nen 67

Round Seventeen

Left (Win)

すみよしのなごのはまべにあさりしてけふぞしりぬるいけるかひをば

sumiyoshi no
nago no hamabe ni
asarishite
kyō zo shirinuru
ikeru kai oba
At Sumiyoshi
On Nago’s seashore
Have I gathered shellfish, for
Today, I know too well, that
There is a point to life…

Taifu
133

Right

なげかじなよはさだめなきことのみかうきをもゆめとおもひなせかし

nagekajina
yo wa sadamenaki
koto nomi ka
uki o mo yume to
omoinase kashi
Do not fall to grief!
Is this world uncertain and
Nothing more?
It’s cruelties, too, as but a dream
Imagine!

Sadanaga
134

The poem of the Left has a suitable conception for this match and its configuration, again, has a singular, simple style. The poem of the Right, too, has a singular, almost prosaic conception, yet beginning ‘nothing more?’ and then having ‘imagine!’ is a further instance of diction which completely abandons poetic norms. Indeed, I have to say the Left wins.