Composed when there was much disturbance in the world.
朝な朝な鹿の柵む萩がえの末葉の露のありがたのよや
| asana asana sika no sikaramu Fagi ga e no suweba no tuyu no arigata no yo ya |
Every morning The stag is tangled in Bush clover branches, Dew upon the leaf-tips – Such is the length of life… |
Zōki
増基
A poem by Ōtomo sukune Yakamochi.
高円の野辺の秋萩このころの暁露に咲きにけむかも
| takamato no nobe no akipagi kono koro no akatoki tuyu ni sakinikemu kamo |
At Takamato The bush clover At about this time With dawn-time dew Does it bloom, I wonder… |
Left
人待ちし庭の淺茅生茂りあひて心にならす道芝の露
| hito machishi niwa no asajū shigeriaite kokoro ni narasu michishiba no tsuyu |
Awaiting him, The cogon-grass in my garden Has grown lush, indeed; And I have taken to my heart The dew that falls upon my lawn! |
A Servant Girl
1029
Right (Win)
秋風になびく淺茅の色よりもかはるは人の心なりけり
| akikaze ni nabiku asaji no iro yori mo kawaru wa hito no kokoro narikeri |
With the autumn wind Waves the cogon grass, Colours Changing less than her Heart’s passions… |
Ietaka
1030
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults to mention. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the intial part of the Right’s poem is derived from an old poem, and so does the end!
In judgement: I wonder whether the cogon-grass (asajū), mentioned initially, is as clearly conceived as the ‘lawn’ (michishiba) mentioned at the end? The Right’s poem refers to ‘So full are my thoughts, what am I to do? With the autumn wind’, but reverses the beginning and end of that poem; it is extremely old-fashioned in style, but pleasant as it is plainly intended to be understood as a variant of its model. Thus, the Right wins over the combination of ‘cogon-grass’ and ‘lawn’.
Left (Tie)
うち頼む人のけしきの秋風に心の底の萱が下折れ
| uchitanomu hito no keshiki no akikaze ni kokoro no soko no kaya ga shitaore |
I did rely on Him, but now in his look, is The autumn wind; in The depths of my heart are Broken, drooping fronds of silver grass… |
Lord Ari’ie
1025
Right
あさましやなどか思のさしも草露も置きあへずはては燃ゆらん
| asamashi ya nado ka omoi no sashimogusa tsuyu mo okiaezu hate wa moyuran |
How strange it is! Why is it that my love’s fires, like Moxa, Not completely covered by the dew Will at the end burst into flame once more? |
Jakuren
1026
The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults to indicate. The Left state: in the Later Collection of Gleanings there is a poem about Ibuki, which uses ‘burst into flame’ (moyu). We wonder about the suitability of using ‘burst into flame’ without also using Ibuki. The Right, in response: older poems used ‘burst entirely into flame’ (sashimoyu), and this composition is the same.
In judgement: I am not accustomed to hearing ‘the depths of my heart are silver grass’ (kokoro no soko no kaya) as in the Left’s poem. The image in the Right’s poem of moxa not completely covered with dew bursting into flame seems rather overblown. The strengths and weaknesses of the two poems are unclear, so the round should tie.
Left (Win)
忘らるゝ人に軒端の忍ぶ草涙の雨ぞ露けかりける
| wasuraruru hito ni nokiba no shinobugusa namida no ame zo tsuyukekarikeru |
Forgotten by Him, beneath my eaves The ferns bring back memories; A rain of tears Leaves them dew-drenched. |
Lord Kanemune
1021
Right
戀づまのやがて軒端になり行けばいとど忍ぶの草ぞ茂れる
| koizuma no yagate nokiba ni nariyukeba itodo shinobu no kusa zo shigereru |
My man is Far away; beneath my eaves Are the signs: How many memories and Ferns grow thickly… |
Lord Tsune’ie
1022
Both Left and Right state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: both poems refer to ‘memory ferns’ (shinobugusa), and there is not a great deal of difference in quality between them, but the Left’s ‘rain of tears’ (namida no ame), with its association of dew, is slightly better than the Right’s ‘ferns grow thickly’ (kusa zo shigereru), and so should win.
Composed when people passed through the chrysanthemums around his cell.
濡れて干す山路の菊の露のまにいつか千歳を我は経にけむ
| nurete Fosu yamazi no kiku no tuyu no ma ni ituka titose wo ware Fa Fenikemu |
Drenched, then dry, Upon the moutain paths, with chrysanthemums In the gaps between the dewdrops – Sometimes a thousand years It seems I have passed by here… |
Sosei
17
谷深み水かけ草の下露や知られぬ恋の涙なるらむ
| tani ni Fukami midukakegusa no sitatuyu ya sirarenu koFi no namida naruramu |
Deep within the valley, Are the water-dripped loosestrife’s Silver dewdrops Secret love’s Tears? |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
思ひ草葉末に結ぶ白露のたまたまきてば手にもかからず
| omoFigusa Fazuwe ni musubu siratuyu no tamatama kiteba te ni mo kakarazu |
The undergrowth’s Leaf tips are tangled With silver dewdrop Gems on occasion, but They touch not my hands… |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
萌え出でてまた双葉なる恋草のいく穂となきにおける露かな
| moeidete mata futabanaru koigusa no iku ho to naki ni okeru tsuyu kana |
Budding out, and In the first, freshest growth Are the lovely grasses; How many ears will not be touched By falling dewdrops… |
Minamoto no Yorimasa
源頼政
朝戸出の君が足結を濡らす露原早く起き出でつつ我れも裳裾濡らさな
| asa tode no kimi ga ayupi wo nurasu tuyu para payaku oki idetutu ware mo mosuso nurasana |
In the morning, opening the door Bound up, your belt Will be drenched by the dewy fields; Swiftly rising I, too, shall venture out and Soak my skirt-hem… |
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Collection
柿本人麻呂歌集