Tōgū gakushi noritada uta’awase 02

Mugwort in the Grounds[i]

Left

よろづよもときはならなんけふのためいはひておほすそののよもぎは

yorozuyo mo
tokiwa naranan
kyō no tame
iwaite ōsu
sono no yomogi wa
For ten thousand ages more
Evergreen, I would you be!
For today’s
Celebration, lushly growing
Mugwort in the grounds…

3

Right

そののうちにおふるよもぎのえだしげみすゑさかゆべくみゆるきみかな

sono no uchi ni
ouru yomogi no
eda shigemi
sue sakayubeku
miyuru kimi kana
Within the grounds
A’growing, the mugwort’s
Branches are lush
To the very end they flourish,
As do you appear to, my Lord!

4

In ancient times, folk arose on this day with the dawn together with the birds and, taking those branches of mugwort from within their grounds that resembled people, dried them in the shade and made medicinal draughts—I wonder, were both Left and Right unaware of this? There is not even a dewdrop’s worth of diction in accordance with the topic, so I must make this round a tie.

かたかたにとるかたもなきよもぎぐさひとかずならぬここちこそすれ

katakata ni
toru kata mo naki
yomogigusa
hito kazu naranu
kokochi koso sure
Both sides say
Nothing noteworthy about
Mugwort plants,so
Neither is worth much,
I feel!

Judge 2


[i] Sono no naka no yomogi 園中蓬

Tōgū gakushi noritada uta’awase 01

Poetry Match held by Noritada, Confucian Tutor to the Heir Apparent[i]

Topics

Poets

Judge

Sweet-flags in the Valley

Left

たにふかみたづねてぞひくあやめぐさちとせあるべきくすりとおもへば

tani fukami
tazunete zo hiku
ayamegusa
chitose arubeki
kusuri to omoeba
Deep within the valley
Seek and pick
Sweet-flags!
For a thousand years longevity
Will their draught bring, I feel…

1

Right

たにふかみおふるあやめのながきねはひきかつ人もあらじとぞおもふ

tani fukami
ouru ayame no
nagaki ne wa
hiki katsu hito mo
araji to zo omou
Deep within the valley
Grow sweet-flags—
So long their roots that
A skillful picker
Is there none, I feel!

2

Nine-knotted sweet-flags grow in valleys atop rocks, so every year on this day, folk gather together and pick sweet-flag roots to make medicine from them, so one should compose as though cupping the water of this conception in one’s hands. The overall impression of the Right’s poem, while it may be something encountered occasionally, is that it shows ignorance of the conception of the topic and only refers to how long the roots are—it loses, but there may be some depth there.

こころあさきみぎはにおふるあやめぐさひきどころなきものにざりける

kokoro asaki
migiwa ni ouru
ayamegusa
hikidokoro naki
mono ni zarikeru
Conception shallow
Right by the water’s edge a’growing
Are sweet flags:
There’s no value in picking
Such things!

Judge 1


[i] Tōgū gakushi noritada uta’awase 東宮学士義忠歌合