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Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 10

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Left (Tie).

雪の色の夏も消えせぬかひやこれ扇の風の秋よりもけに

yuki no iro no
natsu mo kiesenu
kai ya kore
ōgi no kaze no
aki yori mo ke ni		 The hue of snow
Unmelted in summer
Must have some effect for
My fan’s breeze has
More than autumn’s…

Lord Ari’ie.

259

Right (Tie).

うたゝ寢に扇をならす床の上の月と風とは秋の物かは

utatane ni
ōgi o narasu
toko no ue no
tsuki to kaze to wa
aki no mono ka wa		 Dozing and
Wafting a fan
Above my bed:
Do both moon and breeze
Belong to autumn?

Lord Takanobu.

260

The Right state that ‘Both “some effect” (kai ya kore) and “more than…” (ke ni) seem somewhat insufficient.’ The Left wonder, ‘if the fan’s shape, making the moon “belong to autumn” (aki no mono ka wa) is enough?’

Shunzei judges, ‘Both the Left and Right poems seem most charming. A winner is lacking.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 8

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Left (Tie).

みな月の照る日もいかで過ぐさまし頼む扇の風なかりせば

mina tsuki no
teru hi mo ikade
sugusamashi
tanomu ōgi no
kaze nakariseba		 The Sixth Month’s
Sunshine-filled days: how
Might I endure them?
Lacking support from a fan
Brought breeze…

Lord Kanemune.

255

Right (Tie).

涼しさは扇の風もかはらねば秋はこれもや身にはしむらん

suzushisa wa
ōgi no kaze mo
kawaraneba
aki wa kore mo ya
mi ni wa shimuran		 In coolness
A fan-brought breeze
Differs not, so
In autumn would it, too,
Pierce the heart?

Lord Tsune’ie.

256

The Right state that ‘the Left’s poem appears to have no problems’, while the Left remark ‘the gentlemen of the Right are doubtless pierced to the heart!’ (implying that the Right’s poem is simply stating the obvious).

Shunzei simply states, ‘The Left’s “support from a fan” (tanomu ōgi) and the Right’s “in autumn would it, too” (aki wa kore mo ya) must be judged to be of the same quality.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 7

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Left.

手にならす夏の扇と思へどもたゞ秋風のすみかなりけり

te ni narasu
natsu no ōgi to
omoedomo
tada aki kaze no
sumika narikeri		 Wafting in hand
My fan in summer
And wonder if
‘Tis just here that the autumn breeze
Has found his lodging…

A Servant Girl.

253

Right (Win).

夕まぐれならす扇の風にこそかつがつ秋は立ちはじめけれ

yūmagure
narasu ōgi no
kaze ni koso
katsugatsu aki wa
tachihajimekere		 At eventide
Wafting a fan;
With the breeze
An early autumn
Rises, begun.

Nobusada.

254

The Right complain that in the Left’s poem ‘my fan in summer’ (natsu no ōgi) sounds old-fashioned, while ‘the autumn breeze has found his lodging’ (kaze no sumika) sounds modern. The Left comment, ‘The expression ‘rises begun’ (tachihajimu) seems to have little connection with fans,’ to which the Right reply, ‘It is normal to imply a relationship with autumn. There is also the example of “Lady Pan’s Fan” to build on.

Shunzei’s judgement short, and to the point, ‘The Left’s “‘Tis just here that the autumn breeze” (tada aki kaze no) is not as good as the Right’s “An early autumn” (katsugatsu aki wa) and so the latter wins.’’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 25

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Left (Tie).

つくづくと幾代のことか思はまし晝に變らぬ夏の夜ならば

tsukuzuku to
ikuyo no koto ka
omowamashi
hiru ni kawaranu
natsu no yo naraba		 On and on,
About times long gone
Would I ponder, if
Last as long as daylight
Did the summer nights…

Lord Suetsune.

229

Right (Tie).

時鳥鳴く一聲に明くる夜も待つには秋の心地こそすれ

hototogisu
naku hito koe ni
akuru yo mo
matsu ni wa aki no
kokochi koso sure		 The cuckoo’s
Single call
Brings the dawn to night;
Awaiting it, as autumn
It does seem!

Lord Takanobu.

230

The Right state that, ‘We do not feel that that one spends a summer night dwelling constantly on the past, as is the case in autumn.’ In reply, the Left say, ‘Why not? Summer days are certainly long enough, so why would one not continue to do so? As for your poem, if it is the cuckoo doing the waiting, it would seem that the poem is on the theme of cuckoos, and it fails to seem like one on the topic of summer nights.’

Shunzei simply comments tersely, ‘The defects of both poems this round have been adequately comprehended. A tie.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 5

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Left (Win).

わが宿の庭こそ暗くなりにけれ楢の廣葉の陰やそふらん

wa ga yado no
niwa koso kuraku
narinikere
nara no hiroha no
kage ya souran		 My lodging’s
Garden much darker
Has become;
Have the broad-leaved oaks
Laid shadows down?

Lord Kanemune.

189

Right.

紅葉ゆへ植へし梢のあさみどり色には秋を思ふのみかは

momiji yue
ueshi kozue no
asamidori
iro ni wa aki o
omou nomi ka wa		 For scarlet leaves
I planted trees – tops now
Pale green;
For the hues of autumn
Alone I hope no longer.

Ietaka.

190

The Right state bluntly, ‘Using ‘darker’ (kuraku) in this poem is highly vulgar!’ But the Left snap back, ‘Composing with “darker” is completely commonplace.’ They have no comments to make about the Right’s poem.

Shunzei remarks, ‘The Left’s “garden much darker” (niwa koso kuraku) has nothing problematic about it. “Broad-leaved oaks” (nara no hiroha), although a commonplace expression, is undesirable here. The purport of the Right’s “for the hues of autumn” (iro ni wa aki o) seems rather contrived, yet one wonders if “scarlet leaves” (momiji yue) might not be concealed beneath the “broad-leaved oaks”! The Left’s poem, being more unaffected, wins.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 3

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Left (Tie).

色かへぬよはひは知らず夏木立みどりは松にかはらざりけり

iro kaenu
yowai wa shirazu
natsu kodachi
midori wa matsu ni
kawazarikeri		 Are their hues unchanging
Through the ages – that I do no know;
Summer clustered trees’
Green on the pines
Will alter not!

Lord Suetsune.

185

Right (Tie).

あらはれん秋をも知らぬかえでかなときはの色をしばし盗みて

arawaren
aki o mo shiranu
kaede kana
tokiwa no iro o
shibashi nusumite		 They’ll be found out!
All unknowing of the autumn are
The maple trees;
The eternal pine trees’ hue
Steal, if only briefly…

Nobusada.

186

The Right simply say, ‘The Left’s poem contains major faults,’ while the Left reply, ‘The Right’s poem’s “maple trees” (kaede kana) and “Steal, if only briefly” (shibashi nusumite) are vulgar in the extreme!’ (By this they mean that nusumu (‘steal’) is inappropriate for poetry, as is the impression given that the maples have volition.)

Shunzei comments, ‘That the Left’s poem contains faults has already been mentioned by the Right. The Right’s poem though has the form of an eccentric poem, and one must wonder about granting sensitivity to maple trees, so the round must tie.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 2

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Left (Win).

花はみな散りはてにけり夏木立みどりも春の色ならぬかは

hana wa mina
chirihatenikeri
natsu kodachi
midori mo haru no
iro naranu ka wa		 The blossoms have all
Finished falling, but
The summer clustered trees’
Green – of spring
Is it not, too, a shade?

Lord Ari’ie.

183

Right.

夏衣うすもへぎなるわかゝえで秋染めかへむ色ぞゆかしき

natsu koromo
usu moeginaru
waka kaede
akizome kaemu
iro zo yukashiki		 The summer garb of
Pale grass-green
Young maple trees
To autumn shades will change;
How I long to see those hues!

Lord Tsune’ie.

184

The Right state, ‘In the previous round there was an assessment that our poem was inappropriate: if so, this poem of the Left’s seems to contain a concealed longing for Spring.’ The Left reply, ‘The previous poem concluded with “sacred groves” (kamunabi no mori). This poem has “Is it not, too, a shade?” (iro naranu ka wa), and so a spirit of appreciation of summer. It is the same as Right’s poem in the previous round.’

Shunzei’s judgement is, ‘Although I have little liking for “summer clustered trees” (natsu kodachi), “green – of spring” (midori mo haru no) seems particularly fine. The Right’s poem does not appear to be appreciating new trees and, saying “To autumn shades will change; How I long to see those hues!” (akizome kaemu iro zo yukashiki) is contrary to the central meaning of the topic. Furthermore, “how I long” (yukashiki) is an unsuitable expression. The Left must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Spring III: 5

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Left (Win).

秋ならば月待つことの憂からまし櫻にくらす春の山里

aki naraba
tsuki matsu koto no
ukaramashi
sakura ni kurasu
haru no yamazato		 Were it autumn,
Waiting for the moon is
Bitter, indeed, but
Amongst the cherry blossom do I live,
In my mountain hut in springtime.

A Servant Girl.

129

Right.

白雲の八重立つ山の花を見て歸る家路も日ははるか也

shirakumo no
yae tatsu yama no
hana o mite
kaeru ieji mo
hi wa harukanari		 Clouds of white,
Lie eight-fold upon the mountains;
Gazing on the blossoms, being
Homeward bound at
Sundown seems a long, long way away…

Jakuren.

130

The Right team have no particular criticisms of the Left’s poem this round. The Left, though, say ‘What are we to make of ‘Sundown seems a long, long way away’ (hi wa harukanari)?’ (Probably suggesting it’s an insufficiently poetic expression to use in a waka.)

Shunzei doesn’t address the Left’s criticism in his judgement, simply saying, ‘The Left’s final section starting “amongst the cherry blossom do I live” (sakura ni kurasu) sounds charming. It must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Spring II: 30

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Left (Tie).

さやかなる秋にもまされあはれかな月影かすむ有明の空

sayakanaru
aki no mo masare
aware kana
tsuki kage kasumu
ariake no sora		 The clarity of
Autumn, too, is splendid and
Moving, indeed, I feel in
The hazy moonlight from
The daybreak sky.

Lord Ari’ie.

119

Right (Tie).

今はとてたのむの雁もうちわびぬ朧月夜の明ぼのゝ空

ima wa tote
tanomu no kari mo
uchiwabinu
oborozukiyo no
akebono no sora		 ‘Now we must return,’
The field resting geese
Lament, under the
Misty moonlit
Dawning sky.

Jakuren.

120

The Right team once again rate the Left’s poem as ‘satisfying’, while the Left say the Right’s is ‘especially satisfying. ’

Shunzei’s judgement is that ‘the Left’s “hazy moonlight from the daybreak sky” (tsuki kage kasumu ariake no sora) and the Right’s “Misty moonlit dawning sky” (oborozukiyo no akebono no sora) are both splendid. It is difficult, indeed, to decide between them. Another excellent tie.’