Tag Archives: Tsukuba Mountain

SKKS XI: 1013

Topic unknown.

つくば山葉やましげ山しげけれどおもひいるにはさはらざりけり

tsukubayama
hayama shigeyama
shigekeredo
omoi’iru ni wa
sawarazarikeri
Tsukuba Mountain has
Peaks both high and low
So many watch, yet
Once embarked on love
‘Tis no trouble, at all. [1]

Minamoto no Shigeyuki

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

[1] An allusive variation on a well-known fūzoku-uta 風俗歌 (‘folk poem’): 筑波山は山しげ山茂きをぞや誰が子も通ふな下に通へわがつまは下に tsukubayama / hayama shigeyama / shigeki o zo ya / ta ga ko mo kayou na / shita ni kayoe / wa ga tsuma wa shita ni ‘Tsukuba Mountain has / Peaks both high and low / So many pass along their ways, / No one should take them! / Go secretly! / For my wife is secret, too…’

SKKS XI: 1014

Sent to the house of a lady whom another man was visiting regularly.

われならぬ人に心をつくば山したにかよはむ道だにやなき

ware naranu
hito ni kokoro o
tsukubayama
shita ni kayowamu
michi dani ya naki
‘Tis not I, but
Another man your heart
Holds close—Tsukuba Mountain
Has secret paths to go back and forth,
But is there none for me?

Lord Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

Love VII: 5

Left (Win).
末の松待つ夜幾度過ぬらん山超す浪を袖にまかせて

sue no matsu
matsu yo ikutabi
suginuran
yama kosu nami o
sode ni makasete
At the pines of Sué
How many nights have I spent
Pining for him?
As the waves break over the mountain
So let them on my sleeves…

A Servant Girl.
969

Right.
人知れず君に心を筑波山ひまなきものはなげき也けり

hito shirezu
kimi ni kokoro o
tsukubayama
himanaki mono wa
nageki narikeri
Secretly
For you has my heart
Yearned to exhaustion; as Tsukuba Mountain’s
Close packed trees, endless
Is my grief.

Lord Tsune’ie.
970

The Gentlemen of the Right state: in what way are the the waves ‘allowed’ in ‘let them on my sleeves’ (sode ni makasuru)? The Left state: the Right uses Tsukuba, followed by ‘close packed trees, endless’ (himanaki), and although this does have the same meaning, it would be more customary to use ‘verdant’ (shigeki).

In judgement: although the Left’s  ‘so let them on my sleeves’ (sode ni makasete) sounds somewhat unclear, the Right’s ‘Tsukuba Mountain’s close packed trees, endless’ suggests many layers of reed-thatch, I think. ‘As the waves break over the mountain’ (yama kosu nami) seems to reach greater heights.

Love VII: 1

Left (Tie).
年を經て茂るなげきをこりもせでなど深からん物思ひの山

toshi o hete
shigeru nageki o
kori mo sede
nado fukakaran
mono’omoi no yama
The years go by and
My ever verdant grief
Is never felled;
Why am I so deep
In mountains of gloomy thought?

Kenshō.
961

Right.
君にわれ深く心を筑波山しげきなげきにこりはてぬ哉

kimi ni ware
fukaku kokoro o
tsukubayama
shigeki nageki ni
korihatenu kana
You for me
Had deep thoughts once –
All gone now, yet on Tsukuba Mountain
My ever verdant grief
Remains unfelled…

The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
962

The Right state: we are not familiar with the expression ‘mountains of gloomy thought’ (mono’omoi no yama) used in the Left’s poem. The Left state: the Right’s poem has nothing significant to say.

In judgement: both poems use the wordplay of ‘ever verdant grief’ (shigeki nageki) and a ‘heart unfelled’ (korinu kokoro); they have no particular merits or faults. The round ties.