A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
吹風と谷の水としなかりせば深山がくれの花を見ましや
Fuku kaze to tani no midu to si nakariseba miyama gakure no Fana wo mimasi ya The gusting wind and The valley’s waters Were there none, then Hidden in the mountains’ depths These blossoms – would any wish to see them?
Tsurayuki
A poem from a poetry competition held by Her Majesty, the Empress, during the Kanpyō period.
春霞色のちぐさに見えつるはたなびく山の花のかげかも
Farugasumi iro no tigusa ni mieturu Fa tanabiku yama no Fana no kage kamo The haze of spring has Countless hues It does appear; Streaming across the mountains with The blossoms’ glow.
Fujiwara no Okikaze
Composed on returning from an ascent of Mount Hiei.
山たかみ見つつわが来しさくら花風は心にまかすべらなり
yama takami mitutu wa ga kosi sakurabana kaze Fa kokoro ni makasuberanari On the mountain’s heights, Did I ever see, when homeward bound, Cherry blossoms, where Now the wind will Do as it wants!
Tsurayuki
When he was instructed by His Majesty to compose a poem, he composed this and presented it.
桜花さきにけらしもあしひきの山の峡よりみゆる白雲
sakurabana sakinikerashi mo asiFiki no yama no kaFi yori miyuru sirakumo The cherry blossom Seems to have bloomed, and from The leg-wearying Mountain passes Appears white billowing clouds.
Tsurayuki
あしひきの山下とよみ行く水の時ともなくも恋ひわたるかも
asipiki no yamasita toyomi yuku midu no toki tomokaku mo kopiwataru kamo Leg-wearying, The mountain’s foot resounds with Rushing waters Endlessly – As flows my love for you!
Anonymous
Spring Dawn
山のはのよこ雲ばかりわたりつつみどりにみゆるあけぼのの空
yama no ha no yokogumo bakari wataritsutsu midori ni miyuru akebono no sora The mountains’ edge is Simply streaked with cloud, Ever trailing ‘cross; Verdant green does seem The sky at dawn.
Kanemasa
Left (Win) 山深み歎きこる男のをのれのみ苦しくまどふ恋の道かな
yama fukami nageki koru o no onore nomi kurushiku madou koi no michi kana Deep within the mountains Felling trees, a woodsman’s Axe, my grief Leaves me in pained confusion On the paths of love…
Lord Sada’ie 1187
Right 山人の帰る家路を思ふにも逢はぬ歎きぞ休むまもなき
yamabito no kaeru ieji o omou ni mo awanu nageki zo yasumu ma mo naki A mountain man, Homeward bound, Is in my thoughts, but Unable to meet with you grief Gives me no respite.
Ietaka 1188
Left and Right together state: no faults to mention.
In judgement: the Left has a profound conception of love. The Right’s ‘homeward bound’ (kaeru ieji ) and ‘unable to meet with you grief’ (awanu nageki ) are extremely difficult to grasp, I think. The Left should win.
An ancient-styled poem to supplement a long poem.
君が世に相坂山の岩清水木隠れたりと思ける哉
kimi ga yo ni
aFusakayama no
iFasimidu
kogakuretari to
omoFikeru kana
Your Majesty’s reign
Is welcome so, as on the mount of Meeting Hill,
Spring water from the crags
Is hidden in the trees, thus
I am I sunk in thought!
Mibu no Tadamine
On blossom.
奥山に棲むといふ鹿の夕さらず妻どふ萩の散らまく惜しも
wokuyama ni
sumu to ipu sika no
yopi sarazu
tumadopu pagi no
tiramaku wosimo
Deep within the mountains
Lives a stag;
Every evening
He calls upon his bride, the bush clover, but
That it is scattered, brings him only regret…
Left
山深み種ある岩に生ふる松の根よりもかたき戀や何なる
yama fukami
tane aru iwa ni
ouru matsu no
ne yori mo kataki
koi ya nani naru
Deep with the mountains,
Upon the crags where seeds
Grow into pines,
Rooted firmly – how hard
Will our love be?
Lord Ari’ie
1041
Right (Win)
契きなまた忘れずよ初瀬河布留川野邊の二本の杉
chigirikina
mata wasurezu yo
hatsusegawa
furukawa nobe no
futamoto no sugi
You vowed it, did you not.
Not to forget me more.
In the River Hatsuse and
River Furu’s meadows
Stand twin cedars.
Jakuren
1042
Left and Right together state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: While there are such things in the heart of the mountains as ‘crags where seeds grow into pines’ (tane aru iwa ni ouru matsu ), it is normally by the sea or on rocky coastlines that one finds firmly rooted pine trees. Surely, mountain pines are but lightly rooted? Cedars on River Hatsuse recollects ‘Nor will I ever; a solid brick-kiln’ (wasurezu yo kawaraya ), but ‘You vowed it, did you not’ (chigirikina ) also reminds me of the old phrase ‘Both our sleeves wringing out’ (katami ni sode o shiboritsutsu ), which is most fine. Thus, the Right wins.
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