なごのうみの浦べにおふる浜つづらたえまくるしき物をこそ思へ
| nago no umi no urabe ni ouru hamatsuzura taema kurushiki mono o koso omoe | At Nago, by the sea Upon the beach grows Chasteberry: At the breaks between, sad Indeed, are my thoughts. |
Minister of Justice [Minamoto no] Toshisane
13
浜つづらたへまたへまを歎かせてくるしと思ふわがこころぞは
| hamatsuzura taema taema o nagekasete kurushi to omou wa ga kokoro zo wa | Chasteberry: The many breaks between Do cause me grief, and Pain is the feeling that Fills my heart! |
Kai, from the Shijō Palace
14
A further poem, from the same gentleman.
つらさには思ひ絶えなんとおもへどもかなはぬ物はなみだなりけり
| tsurasa ni wa omoi’oenan to omoedomo kanawanu mono wa namida narikeri | Your cruelty You might wish to cease, I thought, yet Entirely matchless are My tears. |
The Consultant
11
In reply.
うけひかぬあまの小船のつなで縄たゆとて何か苦しかるらん
| ukehikanu ama no obune no tsunade nawa tayu tote nanika kurushikaruran | You’ll not draw in A fisher-girl’s skiff with A rope that’s Snapped, I think, and what Might be painful about that? |
Higo, from the Palace
12
おもひ侘び恋路にまよふしるべには涙ばかりぞさきに立ちける
| omoiwabi koiji ni mayou shirube ni wa namida bakari zo saki ni tachikeru | Suffering with passion, and Lost upon the paths of love My guide is Simply my tears that Set out before me. |
Consultant and Middle Captain Tadanori
9
The reply, written in a style to blend in with the picture on the paper, of a many-petalled safflower, and attached to a stem of bellflower, made from metal.
恋路をばふみだに見じと思ふみに何かはかかる涙なるらん
| koiji oba fumi dani miji to omou mi ni nani ka wa kakaru namida naruran | Upon the path of love I’ve not seen you take even one step I feel, so Why might you show such Tears, I wonder? |
Kii, in service to the former Kamo Virgin
10
ながれ出づるしづくに袖は朽ちはてておそふる方もなきぞかなしき
| nagare’izuru shizuku ni sode wa kuchihatete osouru kata mo naki zo kanashiki | Flowing out These droplets my sleeves Have completely rotted, and That I have no way to halt them Makes me sad, indeed. |
The Major Controller of the Left
7
おく網のうけもひかれぬものゆゑに何かはあまの袖のくつらん
| oku tsuna no uke mo hikarenu mono yue ni nani ka wa ama no sode no kutsuran | Cast out, your line’s Floats, she’ll not draw in, So Why would a fisher-girl Have rotten sleeves, I wonder? |
Yurika, from the Hall of the Junior Consort
8
逢ふ事やこよひこよひとかよふまに空忘れして月日へにけり
| au koto ya koyoi koyoi to kayou ma ni sora wasureshite tsukihi henikeri | I wonder will we meet Tonight, maybe tonight, I think, and While I’m on my way, Forgetful of the skies, Days and months have passed me by. |
Kuninobu, the Minamoto Middle Counsellor
5
In reply.
あや莚をとなるまでも恋ひずしてまだきに床を忘るべしやは
| ayamushiro oto naru made mo koizushite madaki ni toko o wasurubeshi ya wa | My patterned blanket Lies far away, and yet Lacking love How swiftly my bed Might you be able to forget? |
Daishin, in service to His Former Majesty
6
The same Major Counsellor, writing vertically upon delicate scarlet paper.
年ふともいはで朽ちぬる埋木の下の心はふりぬ恋かな
| toshi futomo iwade kuchinuru umoregi no shita no kokoro wa furinu koi kana | The years pass by, yet Without a word, has rotted The drowned tree— Beneath it, my heart Has grown old with love! |
3
In reply
ふかからぬ水無瀬の川の埋木はしたの恋路は年ふりぬとも
| fukakaranu minase no kawa no umoregi wa shita no koiji wa toshi furinu tomo | There’s no depth to The River Minase, where Drowned trees lie— Beneath, the paths of love Have grown old in years, and yet… |
Chikuzen, Daughter of Prince Yasusuke
4
| Shinpen kokka taikan no. | 128 |
| Heian-chō uta’awase taisei no. | 244 |
| Title | 堀河院艶書合 |
| Romanised Title | Horikawa’in enjo awase |
| Translated Title | Former Emperor Horikawa’s Love Letter Match |
| Alternative Title(s) | 内裏艶書合 Dairi enjo awase (‘Palace Love Letter Match’) |
| Date | 2/Intercalary 5/Kōwa 4 [19.6.1102] |
| Extant Poems | 48 |
| Identifiable Participants | Major Counsellor Kinzane 大納言公実; the Suō Handmaid 周防内侍; Chikuzen, Daughter of Prince Yasusuke 筑前康資王女; Kuninobu, the Minamoto Middle Counsellor 源中納言国信; Daishin, in service to His Former Majesty 院の大進; the Major Controller of the Left 左大弁; Yurika, from the Palace of the Junior Consort 女御殿ゆり花; Consultant Middle Captain Tadanori 宰相中将忠教; Kii, in service to the former Kamo Virgin 前斎院紀伊; Higo, from the Palace 殿の肥後; Toshisane, the Minister of Justice 刑部卿俊実; Kai from the Shijō Palace 四条宮の甲斐; Toshiyori, Master of the Left Capital Office 左京大夫俊頼; Kazuza, in service to the Empress 中宮上総; Middle Captain Toshitada 俊忠中将; Fourth Rank Middle Captain Morotoki 四位中将師時; Lady Aki, in service to the Imperial Lady 女院安芸君; Chikuzen 筑前; the Assistant Captain of the Middle Palace Guards, Left Division 左兵衛佐; Ichijō no Kii 一条紀伊; the Governor of Mimasaka 美作守; Lady Tsu, in service to the former Kamo Virgin 前斎院つの君; the Supernumerary Master of the Left Capital Office 左京権大夫; Kodaishin 小大進; Supernumerary Middle Counsellor Toshitada 権中納言俊忠; Lady Ki 紀の君; Supernumerary Minor Captain Morotoki 権少将師時; Kunizane くにざね; Tadanori ただのり; Tamekata ためかた; Chamberlain Ietoki 蔵人いへとき; Chamberlain Masakanu 蔵人まさかぬ |
| Judgements | N |
| Topics | Love (koi 恋) |
Go to the beginning of the contest here.
This match took place when, hearing that his courtiers were composing poetry, His Majesty ordered them to compose love poems to the ladies in attendance.
おもひあまりいかでもらさんおく山の岩かきこむる谷の下みづ
| omoi’amari ikade morasan okuyama no iwa kakikomuru tani no shitamizu | My passion’s full, so How should it o’erflow? Deep within the mountains Hemmed in by crags are The waters of the valley floor… |
Major Counsellor Kinzane
1
In reply
いかなれば音にのみきく山川の浅きにしもはこころよすらん
| ika nareba oto ni nomi kiku yamakawa no asaki ni shimo wa kokoro yosuran | For some reason, I simply hear the sound Of a mountain stream; Into the shallows, indeed, has Your heart been swept, it seems! |
[Nakako,] The Suō Handmaid
2