Autumn
Round Seven
Left
秋山はからくれなゐに成りにけりいくしほしぐれふりてそめけん
akiyama wa karakurenai ni narinikeri iku shio shigure furite someken The autumn mountains To Cathay scarlet Have turned; How many dippings with drizzle Have fallen to dye them so?
13[1]
Right (Win)
秋きぬとめにはさやかにみえねども風の音にぞおどろかれぬる
aki kinu to me ni wa sayaka ni mienedomo kaze no oto ni zo odorokarenuru That autumn has come With my eyes, clearly, I cannot see, yet The sound of the wind Has startled me.
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki 14[2]
[1] Shokugosenshū VII: 429
[2] This poem was particularly highly evaluated and so is included in numerous other anthologies (Kokin rokujō I: 125), exemplary collections (Shinsen waka 2) and senka awase – contests assembled from prior poems (Shunzei sanjū roku nin uta’awase 61; Jidai fudō uta’awase 49).
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
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.
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
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
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
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
Love
Left
恋せじと御手洗川に御祓して神うけつらんとおもほゆるかな
koi seji to mitarashigawa ni oharaishite kami uketsuran to omohoyuru kana I’ll not fall in love, and At the River Mitarashi Purify myself— Would the gods then accept me, I wonder!
25
恋なれどそこにもすまぬひれはみづにごれりとおもほゆるかな
koi naredo soko ni mo sumanu hire wa mizu nigoreri to omohoyuru kana This is love, yet The deeps are all disturbed, with Fins the waters Clouding, I feel!
26
こひわたる程のふかさにそめ川の色あさからじとおもほゆるかな
koiwataru hodo no fukasa ni somekawa no iro asakaraji to omohoyuru kana So long have I loved you that The depths of Dyers’ River have Lost their pale hues I feel!
27
Right
おもふとて夕ぐれがたのながめをや人待つほどの恋といふらん
omou tote yūguregata no nagame o ya hito matsu hodo no koi to iuran Thinking of him As evening draws on, and I gaze on long rains falling; is Time pining for a man Being in love, I wonder?
28
年の内にあまる月日の有りければかぞへのうちにははわぶるかな
toshi no uchi ni amaru tsuki hi no arikereba kazoe no uchi ni haha waburu kana Throughout the year The days and months mount up So Counting them My mother grieves!
29
Winter
Left
冬くれば紅葉ふりしく神無月佐保の山辺はむべもりぬらん
fuyu kureba momiji furishiku kaminazuki saho no yamabe wa mube morinuran When the winter comes, Scarlet leaves, falling and scattering In the Godless Month, Upon the slopes of Mount Saho, Indeed, are at their finest.
19
冬ごもりかれてみゆらん梅がえは今はた花の春はにほはん
fuyugomori karete miyuran ume ga e wa ima hata hana no haru wa niowan Sealed in winter, and All withered seeming, The plum tree’s branches, Now, for sure, the blossoms’ Spring will scent.
20
冬みれば水もまかせぬ小山田にいつすき返し種をまきけん
fuyu mireba mizu mo makasenu oyamada ni itsu sukikaeshi tane o makiken ‘Tis winter, I see, so There’s no water to draw for The little mountain paddies: O, when might I till them, and Sow my seeds, I wonder?
21
Right
時雨降る宿にすまへば冬の夜に錦とみゆる木木の花かな
shigure furu yado ni sumaeba fuyu no yo ni nishiki to miyuru kigi no hana kana Showers fall Upon the house where I do dwell, so Upon a winter’s night As brocade do seem The blossoming trees!
22
ゆふだすき神の社にかけつればしもし降るにもたのもしきかな
yūdasuki kami no yashiro ni kaketsureba shimo shi furu ni mo tanomashiki kana Sacred mulberry cords Around the God’s shrine Are hung, so Even amidst the frost fall, The future does seem bright!
23
白雲のふたへふりしくときは山うらはへとしはみどりなりけれ
shiragumo no futae furishiku tokiwa yama ura hae toshi wa midori narikere Clouds of white Lie scattered, twofold, upon The unchanging mountain: Stretching out behind, the year Is simply green.
24
Autumn
Left
秋の夜の有明にみれど久堅の月のかつらはうつろはぬかな
aki no yo no ariake ni miredo hisakata no tsuki no katsura wa utsurouwanu kana An autumn night’s Dawn I see, yet The eternal Moon’s silver trees Show no sign of fading!
13
秋萩の花咲く比の白露は下ばのためとわきて置くべし
aki hagi no hana saku koro no shiratsuyu wa shitaba no tame to wakite okubeshi In autumn, the bush clover Flowers bloom—just then Silver dewdrops For the under-leaves Do fall, marking every one.
14
秋風はいなばもそよとふきつめりかりみる程と成りやしぬらん
akikaze wa inaba mo soyo to fukitsumeri kari miru hodo to nari ya shinuran The autumn breeze Seems to rustle the rice stalks As it blows; Seeing if ‘tis time to reap them— Is that what it is, I wonder?
15
Right
銀河とわたる舟は花薄ほにいづるほどぞかげもみゆべき
ama no kawa towataru fune wa hanasusuki ho ni izuru hodo zo kage mo miyubeki Across the River of Heaven A boat goes ferrying: When the silver grass Ears burst into bloom, Can its shape be seen.
16
女郎花さがの花をば色ながら秋をさかりといはれずもがな
ominaeshi saga no hana oba iro nagara aki o sakari to iwarezu mogana Maidenflowers: Blossoms from Saga Reveal their hues, and In autumn are most fine—that Goes without saying!
17
小男鹿の朝たつ霧にうりふ山嶺の梢は色こかりけり
saoshika no asa tatsu kiri ni urifuyama mine no kozue wa iro kokarikeri Stags Within the rising morning mist on Urifu Moutain, where The treetops on the peak Have taken darker hues.
18
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