Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 6

Round Six

Left

夏山のみねのこずゑのたかければなく郭公こゑかはるかな

natsuyama no
mine no kozue no
takakereba
naku hototogisu
koe kawaru kana
The summer mountain
Peaks have treetops
So high, that
The crying cuckoo’s
Calls stand for them.

11

Right (Win)

おほあらきのもりの下草茂りあひてふかくも夏のなりにけるかな

ōaraki no
mori no shitagusa
moriaite
fukaku mo natsu no
narinikeru kana
In Ōaraki
Forest the undergrowth
Has grown so thick, that
Deep summer is
Surely here!

Mitsune
12

SIS II: 116

For a poetry contest at Sadafun’s house.

郭公をちかへりなけうなゐこがうちたれがみの五月雨の空

Fototogisu
otikaFerinake
unawiko ga
utitaregami no
samidare no sora
A cuckoo
Calls again and again;
A child’s shoulder-brushing
Hair dangling down:
A summer shower fills the skies.

Ōshikōchi no Mitsune

Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 5

Round Five

Left (Win)

なつの夜のふすかとすればほととぎす鳴く一声に明くるしののめ

natsu no yo no
fusu ka to sureba
hototogisu
naku hitogoe ni
akuru shinonome
On summer nights,
I’m wondering whether to go to bed, when
A cuckoo’s
Single call
Brightens the dawn.

Ki no Tsurayuki
9

Right

郭公をちかへりなけうなゐこがうちたれがみの五月雨の空

hototogisu
ochikaerinake
unaiko ga
uchitaregami no
samidare no sora
A cuckoo
Calls again and again;
A child’s shoulder-brushing
Hair dangling down:
A summer shower fills the skies.

Ōshikōchi no Mitsune 10[1]


[1] Shūishū II: 116: For a poetry contest at Sadafun’s house.

Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 4

Summer

Round Four

Left

匂ふよりここちあだなる花ゆゑにのどけきはるの風もうらみじ

niou yori
kokochi adanaru
hana yue ni
nodokeki haru no
kaze mo uramiji
From their fragrance
Fickle feelings
Do these blossoms have, so
Peaceful spring’s
Breezes I would likely not resent.

7

Right (Win)

夏の夜のぬるほどもなく明けぬればあしたのまをぞかこちよせつる

natsu no yo no
nuru hodo mo naku
akenureba
ashita no ma o zo
kakochiyosetsuru
On a summer night
I’ve lacked time to sleep, and
Dawn has come, so
I’ll do it on the morrow—
That is my excuse!

8

Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 3

Round Three

Left

氷とくはるたちくらしみよしののよしののたきのこゑまさるなり

kōri toku
haru tachikurashi
miyoshino no
yoshino no taki no
koe masarunari
Ice melting
Spring has come on scene, it seems;
In fair Yoshino,
Yoshino Falls’
Roar is fine, indeed!

5

Right (Win)

はなの色はかすみにこめてみえずともかをだにぬすめ春の山風

hana no iro wa
kasumi ni komete
miezu tomo
ka o dani nusume
haru no yamakaze
The blossoms’ hues
Have blended with the haze, so
I see them not, yet
Their very scent is plundered by
Spring’s breezes from the mountains.

6

Kokin rokujō I: 1

年のうちに春はきにけりひととせをこぞとやいはん今年とやいはん

toshi no uchi ni
haru wa kinikeri
hito tose o
kozo to ya iwan
kotoshi to ya iwan
Within the year
Spring has come once more, so
A single year:
Should I say ‘tis last year, or
Should I say ‘tis this one?

Ariwara no Motokata

Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 2

Round Two

Left

年のうちに春はきにけりひととせをこぞとやいはん今年とやいはん

toshi no uchi ni
haru wa kinikeri
hito tose o
kozo to ya iwan
kotoshi to ya iwan
Within the year
Spring has come once more, so
A single year:
Should I say ‘tis last year, or
Should I say ‘tis this one?

Ariwara no Motokata
3[1]

Right (Win)

みよしのの山べにさけるさくら花雪かとのみぞあやまたれける

miyoshino no
yamabe ni sakeru
sakurabana
yuki ka to nomi zo
ayamatarekeru
In fair Yoshino
In the mountains, the flowering
Cherry blossoms:
Simply for snow
I did mistake them!

Ki no Tomonori

4[2]


[1] Kokin rokujō I: 1

[2] Kokinshū I: 60

Kokin rokujo I: 5

やま風にとくる氷のひまごとにうち出づる浪や春の初花

yamakaze ni
tokuru kōri no
hima goto ni
uchi’izuru nami ya
haru no hatsuhana
With the mountain breeze
The melting ice from
Every crack
Bursts out in waves, perhaps
These are the first blooms of spring?

Minamoto no Maszumi

Kanpyō no ōntoki chūgū uta’awase 1

Spring

Round 1

Left

やま風にとくる氷のひまごとにうち出づる浪や春の初花

yamakaze ni
tokuru kōri no
hima goto ni
uchi’izuru nami ya
haru no hatsuhana
With the mountain breeze
The melting ice from
Every crack
Bursts out in waves, perhaps
These are the first blooms of spring?

Minamoto no Maszumi
1[1]

Right (Win)

春霞たつひの風のいとなれや滝のをとけて玉とみだるる

harugasumi
tatsu hi no kaze no
ito nare ya
taki no o tokete
tama to midaruru
The haze of spring
Arises with the breeze this day, so
Will its streamers with
The melting waterfall’s threaded
Jewels become confused?

2


[1] Kokin rokujo I: 5

Horikawa-in Enjo Awase 15

人しれぬ袖ぞ露けき逢ふことはかれのみまさる山のした草

hito shirenu
sode zo tsuyukeki
au koto wa
kare nomi masaru
yama no shitagusa
Unknown to all
My sleeves are drenched with dew;
For our meetings
Excel only in being withered
As the scrub grass on the mountainside.

[Nakako,] The Suō Handmaid
29

In reply.

おく山の下かげ草はかれやする軒ばにのみはおのれなりつつ

oku yama no
shitakagegusa wa
kare ya suru
nokiba ni nomi wa
onore naritsutsu
Deep within the mountains, have
The grasses growing in the trees’ dark shade
Really withered away?
Simply beneath your eaves,
Is where I ever am…

The Consultant Middle Captain
30

A picture of the eaves of a traditional Japanese house.
Image by joyfultta from Pixabay