New Year’s Eve.
よしの川ながれて過ぐる年浪の立ゐのかげもくれにけるかな
| yoshino gawa nagarete suguru toshinami no tachi’i no kage mo kurenikeru kana | The River Yoshino Flows on past while The year’s waves Rise and fall Fading into shadow! |
Ōe no Masafusa
Tag Archives: Yoshino
Eikyū hyakushu 403
Preparing Tribute 貢調
御調物きみが御代にはよしの川よし心みよたえやしけると
| mitsukimono kimi ga miyo ni wa yoshinogawa yoshi kokoromiyo tae ya shikeru to | The tribute for My Lord’s reign is as The River Yoshino! So, just try To bring it to an end! |
Tadafusa
Love VII: 18
Left (Tie).
吉野河はやき流れを堰く岩のつれなき中に身を砕くらん
| yoshinogawa hayaki nagare o seku iwa no tsurenaki naka ni mi o kudakuran |
The River Yoshino’s Swift flow is Dammed by boulders; With the chilling of our bond It seems my very self will shatter… |
A Servant Girl
995
Right.
ありとても逢はぬためしの名取川朽ちだにはてよ瀬せの埋れ木
| ari tote mo awanu tameshi no natorigawa kuchi dani hateyo sese no mumoregi |
We live, yet Cannot meet – our situation A source of rumours; in the River Natori Let all rot away with The drowned trees in the rapids! |
Jakuren.
996
Both Left and Right together state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: both poems are extremely good. This is a tie of quality.
MYS I: 74
A poem composed by the deceased Emperor on the occasion of a visit to the Yoshino Palace.
み吉野の山のあらしの寒けくにはたや今夜も我が独り寝む
| miyosino no yama no arasi no samukeku ni pata ya koyopi mo wa ga pitori nemu |
Though in fair Yoshino The storm-winds off the mountains Feel so chill, Yet again tonight Will I sleep alone? |
Emperor Monmu (683-707; r. 697-707)
文武
Love VII: 6
Left (Tie).
足引の山路の秋になる袖はうつろふ人のあらしなりけり
| ashihiki no yamaji no aki ni naru sode wa utsurou hito no arashi narikeri |
Leg wearying Mountain trails in autumn Have my sleeves become, For she fades from my life, as A departing storm… |
Lord Sada’ie.
971
Right.
この世には吉野の山の奧にだにありとはつらき人に知られじ
| kono yo ni wa yoshino no yama no oku ni dani ari to wa tsuraki hito ni shirareji |
Within this world, were I In the Yoshino mountains’ Heart, even so That cruel One would know it not! |
Jakuren.
972
The Right state: the Left’s poem does not refer to a specific mountain – we wonder whether this is acceptable? In addition, ‘in autumn have my sleeves’ (aki ni naru sode) and ‘she…as a storm’ (hito no arashi) is difficult to understand. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to indicate.
In judgement: in connection with the criticism made of the Left’s poem, I do not feel that it is always essential to refer to a specific mountain. The other matters are, indeed, difficult to understand. The underlying sense of the Right’s poem seems overly pretentious. It is reminiscent of the tales of Boyi and Shuqi, or of Jie Zhitui, and Mount Shouyang and Mount Mian. Really, it does put me in mind of the Four White-Headed Recluses of Mount Shang, where it says, ‘They emerged due to the plans of Zhang Liang, made for Huidi, who said, “Though I may lie down with the greybeards, enjoying Mount Shang myself, all, in the end, are people under Zhang Liang.”’ It is extremely difficult, in the end, to make these sentiments relevant to our own land. Thus, I find it inappropriate to accept the content of the Right’s poem. The Left’s poem has its faults, too, so cursorily, I make this round a tie.
Love VII: 2
Left.
我戀に深さくらへば外山哉吉野の奧の岩のかけ道
| wa ga koi ni fukasa kuraeba toyama kana yoshino no oku no iwa no kakemichi |
My love’s Depth were you to measure, Distant mountains, perhaps? As in the heart of Yoshino, where The craggy paths are overgrown! |
Lord Ari’ie.
963
Right (Win).
ふみ見ても馴れぬけしきのつれなさや吉野の奧の岩のかけ道
| fumi mitemo narenu keshiki no tsurenasa ya yoshino no oku no iwa no kakemichi |
She read my letter – I treading on paths unknown – And cared not – an unfamiliar scene – Is her cruelty As in the heart of Yoshino, where The craggy paths are overgrown? |
Ietaka.
964
The Right state: in the Left’s poem, the expression ‘distant mountains, perhaps’ (toyama kana) sounds poor. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to mention.
In judgement: both Left and Right have precisely identical sections: ‘as in the heart of Yoshino’ (yoshino no oku) and ‘craggy paths are overgrown’ (iwa no kakemichi), but considering the initial sections, it has already been stated that the Left’s sounds poor, while the Right lacks faults. Thus, in accordance with the remarks by the Gentlemen of both teams, the Right is the winner.
Fubokusho V: 1792
さいたづままだうら若きみ吉野の霞がくれに雉子鳴くなり
| saitaduma mada urawakaki miyosino no kasumigakure ni kigisu nakunari |
The fleeceflower is Yet fresh and green In fair Yoshino, where Hidden in the haze The pheasants call. |
SKKS I: 1
Composed on the conception of the beginning of spring.
みよしのは山もかすみてしらゆきのふりにしさとに春はきにけり
| miyoshino wa yama mo kazumite shirayuki no furinishi sato ni haru wa kinikeri |
In fair Yoshino The mountains are all hazed, and Where white snows Fell on the estate Spring has come! |
The Regent and Prime Minister
GSS III: 117
After a man who was of a mind to become a monk had travelled to Yamato province and been there for some time, when a lady whom he had known before sent to him, enquiring how the cherry blossoms had been blooming lately.
みよし野の吉野の山の桜花白雲とのみ見えまがひつゝ
| miyosino no yosino no yama no sakurabana sirakumo to nomi miemagaFitutu |
In fair Yoshino On Yoshino mountain, The cherry blossom Simply for clouds of white I do always mistake! |
Anonymous
KKS I: 60
A poem composed for the Empress’ Poetry Competition during the Kanpyō Period.
み吉野の山べにさけるさくら花雪かとのみぞあやまたれける
| miyosino no yamabe ni sakeru sakurabana yuki ka to nomi zo ayamatarekeru | In Yoshino In the mountains, the flowering Cherry blossoms: Simply for snow I did mistake them! |
Ki no Tomonori