Here is a short video in which I discuss the poems on the topic of ‘Water Rails’, and include an example of a famous poetic exchange using the bird as an image.
Tag Archives: water rail
Eikyū hyakushu 210
Water Rails (鼃)
夏の日のたそかれ時におぼつかなたたく水鶏の声ばかりして
| natsu no hi no tasokaredoki ni obotsukana tataku kuina no koe bakari shite | When a summer day Descends into twilight How strange it is that A knocking water rail’s Cry is all I hear… |
Daishin
Eikyū hyakushu 209
Water Rails (鼃)
おぼつかなうはの空にやちぎりけむいづくともなくたたく水鶏は
| obotsukana uwa no sora ni ya chigirikemu izuku tomonaku tataku kuina wa | How strange! Has he to the skies above Made a vow? Here and everywhere A’knocking is the water rail… |
Higo
Eikyū hyakushu 208
Water Rails (鼃)
くひなゆゑあけてくやしきつまとかなうらしまかこのはこならなくに
| kuina yue akete kuyashiki tsumado kana urashima ga ko no hako naranaku ni | For a water rail Did I open, and regret, My shutters! Though the lad from Urashima’s Box they were not! |
Kanemasa
Eikyū hyakushu 207
Water Rails (鼃)
たたくともさやはなるべき柴の戸はときけば夜半の水鶏なりけり
| tatakutomo saya wa narubeki shiba no to wa to kikeba yowa no kuina narikeri | A tapping, yet It must be a knocking On my brushwood door I hear, but at midnight ‘Tis only a water rail! |
Tadafusa
Eikyū hyakushu 206
Water Rails (鼃)
心からたけだの里にふしそめていく夜くひなにばかさられぬらん
| kokoro kara takeda no sato ni fushisomete ikuyo kuina ni bakasarenuran | For myself alone, At the estate at Takeda Did I start to lay me down; How many nights was it the water rail Did deceive me so? |
Toshiyori
Eikyū hyakushu 205
Water Rails (鼃)
もしもやと思ひながらにこたふればくせと水鶏の人はかるらん
| moshi mo ya to omoi nagara ni kotaureba kuse to kuina no hito wa karuran | ‘Just maybe, perhaps…’ Was I wondering, When her reply was as A water rail, ever in the stony shallows, Lacking, indeed! |
Nakazane
Eikyū hyakushu 204
Water Rails (鼃)
まきのやの心ちこそすれ柴の戸をいかで水鶏のかくたたくらん
| maki no ya no kokochi koso sure shiba no to o ikade kuina no kaku tatakuran | ‘Tis the sound of a cedar roof – That’s what it makes me feel! Upon a brushwood door Why does the water rail Seem to knock so hard? |
Akinaka
SIS XIII: 822
Topic unknown.
叩くとて宿の妻戸を開けたれば人も梢の水鶏なりけり
| tataku tote yado no tumado wo aketareba Fito mo kozuwe no kunina narikeri |
Knocking at My dwelling’s door, but When I open it, He has not come – in the treetops It was but a water-rail! |
Anonymous
Summer I: 26
Left (Win).
みじか夜も鳥より後ぞ明やらぬ老の寢覺に物思ふ身は
| mijika yo mo tori yori nochi zo akeyaranu oi no nezame ni mono’omou mi wa |
A brief space of night, and After hearing that bird sound, Dawn still fails to break: Waking from sleep when old, My head is full of gloomy thoughts… |
231
Right.
夏の夜はたゝく水鶏のひまなきに程なくあくる天の戸なれや
| natsu no yo wa tataku kuina no himanaki ni hodo naku akuru ama no to nare ya |
Throughout the summer night Knocking is the water rail Without a pause, so In moments will light Break through Heaven’s door? |
232
The Right state, ‘Starting with simply “a brief space of night” (mijika yo mo) seems unsatisfying. In addition, something seems lacking from “after hearing that bird” (tori yori nochi).’ The Left reply, ‘We can cite the examples of “While a brief space of night breaks” (mizika yo no Fukeyuku mama ni) and “calling in the Fifth Month’s brief space of night” (naku ya satuki no mizika yo) both of which are known to be superlative poems. There is nothing particular to remark upon in the Right’s poem.’
Shunzei comments, ‘I, too, know well the feeling of waking from sleep when old. The Left’s poem is superior to the Right’s.’