Round Thirteen
Left
うらちかくふりくる雪はしら波のすゑの松山こすかとぞみる
ura chikaku furikuru yuki wa shiranami no sue no matsuyama kosu ka to zo miru Close by the beach The snow comes falling upon The whitecaps—that The pine-topped peak of Sue The might o’ercome it does appear!
Fujiwara no Okikaze 24
Right
みよしのの山の白雪つもるらしふる里さむく成りまさるなり
miyoshino no yama no shirayuki tsumorurashi furusato samuku narimasaru nari On fair Yoshino Mountain white snow fall Drifts high, it seems, For in this ancient place the chill Grows ever stronger.
Sakanoue no Korenori 25[1]
[1] Kokinshū VI: 325: Composed at the place he was staying when he had gone to the Nara capital.
Summer
Left
夏くればかみにあふひの草つみてかざしにいのるひとにばかりぞ
natsu kureba kami ni aoi no kusa tsumite kazashi ni inoru hito ni bakari zo When the summer comes For the God, hollyhocks Are plucked, and for a Prayer placed in the hair of All folk, every one!
7
夏草も茂りにければ駿河なる田子のうらなへ今やひくらん
natsu kusa mo shigerinikereba suruga naru tago no ura nae ima ya hikuran The summer grasses, too, Have grown lush, so As Suruga’s Tago Bay, Do they now extend their charm?
8
夏虫のやどるにまつは色ならで春秋空にうつろひやする
natsumushi no yadoru ni matsu wa iro narade haru aki sora ni utsuroi ya suru The summer insects Lodge upon the pines Unchanging hues; Is it the spring and autumn skies Which fade away?
9
Right
卯花の咲く夏の夜はやみなれどかきねにやどる月かとぞみる
u no hana no saku natsu no yo wa yami naredo kakine ni yadoru tsuki ka to zo miru The deutzia flowers Bloom upon a summer night ‘Tis dark, yet Lodged upon my brushwood fence I wonder if I see the moon?
10
五月きぬことかたらはむほととぎす君にあふちの花も咲きけり
satsuki kinu koto katarawamu hototogisu kimi ni auchi no hana mo sakikeri That the Fifth Month has come Is announced by The cuckoo: For you, the chinaberry Blossoms, too, have bloomed.
11
空蝉のからにはあらで置く露の身をあらたむる心なるべし
utsusemi no kara ni wa arade oku tsuyu no mi o aratamuru kokoro narubeshi A cicada’s shed Shell I am not, for The dripping dew Does refresh my flesh, or So my heart seems to feel.
12
Spring
Left
春のたつ霞の衣うらもなく年を経てこそ花の散りけれ
haru no tatsu kasumi no koromo ura mo naku toshi o hete koso hana no chirikere Spring does sew A robe of haze Without an underlay, The year passes by in A scattering of blossom
1
春の野の雪間をわけていつしかと君がためとぞ若菜摘みつる
haru no no no yuki ma o wakete itsushika to kimi ga tame to zo wakana tsumitsuru Across the springtime meadows Do I forge between the snows, Eagerly, so eagerly, For you, my Lord, Have I gathered fresh herbs!
2
春霞かすみこめたる山里はこほりとくともかげはみえじを
harugasumi kasumi kometaru yamazato wa kōri toku tomo kage wa mieji o The haze of spring Blurs all around A mountain retreat, Even were the ice to melt I could see no sign of it!
3
Right
梅枝にきゐる鶯年毎に花の匂ひをあかぬ声する
ume ga e ni ki’iru uguisu toshigoto ni hana no nioi o akanu koesuru Upon the plum tree’s branches Has come to rest the warbler; Every single year, that Of the blossoms’ scent He cannot get his fill he sings.
4
桜色に花さく雨はふりぬとも千しほぞそめてうつろふなそで
sakurairo ni hana saku ame wa furinu tomo chishio zo somete utsurou na sode Cherry-coloured Blossoms flower, as the rain Falls on, yet Dyed a thousand times Fade not, o, my sleeves!
5
青柳のいとはるばると緑なる行末までも思ひこそやれ
aoyagi no ito harubaru to midori naru yukusue made mo omoi koso yare The willow’s Branches dangle lengthily So green Right to the very end Will I fondly think of you.
6
From the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō emperor.
浦近く立つ秋霧は藻塩焼く煙とのみぞ見えわたりける
ura tikaku tatu akigiri Fa mosiFo yaku kemuri to nomi zo miewatarikeru Close by the bay Rising autumn mist, as Seaweed salt burning Smoke simply Appears everywere.
Anonymous
Seafolk 泉郎
ぬれ衣いまぞはつきにかけてほすかづきしてけりうらのあま人
nuregoromo ima zo wa tsuki ni kakete hosu kazukishitekeri ura no amabito Their soaking garb Now in the moonlight is Hung to dry; Diving have been The fisher-girls upon the beach…
Kanemasa
Lakes 水海
にほの海はみるめもおひぬ浦にてやむベかづきする海人なかりけり
nio no umi wa mirume mo oinu ura nite ya mube kazuki suru ama nakarikeri At the Sea of Grebes No prying eyes arise from midst the seaweed, On the beach: is that why Truly slipping beneath the waters There are no fishermen at all?
Higo
Lakes 水海
タづくひえがたのうらのいりましに雲すばへしてみのもすすけぬ
yūzuku hi egata no ura no irimashi ni kumo subaeshite mino mo susukenu The evening sun Upon the beach-rimmed bay Is setting, while From the clouds a gentle rain does fall Leaving sooty spots upon my raincoat.
Toshiyori
[One of] a number of poems composed on the occasion of an embassy to Silla, exchanged in sadness at parting, or noting emotions on voyage, or ancient poems which matched the location.
武庫の浦の入江の洲鳥羽ぐくもる君を離れて恋に死ぬべし
muko no ura no
irie no sudori
pa kugumoru
kimi wo panarete
kopi ni sinubesi
At the Bay of Muko
Along the inlets seabirds
Wrapped in wings –
Parted from your embrace, my Lord,
I shall die of love.
Left (Win).
與謝の海の沖つ潮風浦に吹けまつなりけりと人に聞かせん
yosa no umi no
oki tsu shio kaze
ura ni fuke
matsunarikeri to
hito ni kikasen
By the sea at Yosa,
Tidewinds on the offing,
Blow across the bay!
That I am waiting without end,
Tell him!
A Servant Girl
983
Right.
浪かくるさしでの磯の岩根松ねにあらはれてかはくまもなし
nami kakuru
sashide no iso no
iwane matsu
ne ni arawarete
kawaku ma mo nashi
Waves beat
Upon the shore at Sashide, where
The pine trees on the crags
Roots are bared and
Never dry for but a moment.
The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office
984
The Right state: the Left’s poem lacks any faults. The Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.
In judgement: the configuration of the Left’s ‘Blow across the bay!’ (ura ni fuke ) and its links with the preceding and subsequent lines, sounds charming. The Right’s poem is stylistically elegant, but the poem more closely resembles a poem on the topic of ‘Love and Pine Trees’. Thus, the Left wins.
Composed as a poem on blossom.
桜咲く比良の山風吹くままに花になりゆく志賀の浦浪
sakura saku
Fira no yamakaze
Fuku mama ni
Fana ni nariyuku
siga no uranami
Cherries flower on
Hira Mountain while
Breezes blow
All turned to blossom are
The waves on Shiga’s shore.
Middle Captain of the Inner Palace Guards, Left Division, [Fujiwara no] Yoshitsune
左近中将良経
Posts navigation
'Simply moving and elegant'