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Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Winter I: 18

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Left (Tie).

花は猶その姿とも見え分る枯野は蟲の聲ぞ戀しき

hana wa nao
sono sugata tomo
miewakaru
kareno wa mushi no
koe zo koshiki		 The blossoms are still
By their simple shapes
Revealed, but
On this withered field the insects’
Cries are what I miss…

Lord Kanemune.

515

Right.

秋の色の移ろふ野邊を來て見れば哀は枯れぬ物にぞ有ける

aki no iro no
utsurou nobe o
kitemireba
aware wa karenu
mono ni zo arikeru		 Autumn’s hues
Have faded from this field
I see, but
My sorrow is something
Evergreen…

Nobusada.

516

The Right state that they are unable to understand [kokoro yukazu] the usage of ‘revealed’ (miewakaru) in the Left’s poem. The Left find no faults in the Right’s poem.

Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s use of ‘revealed’ sounds appropriate [yoroshiku kikoehaberu] in this poem, and ‘on this withered field the insects’ (kareno wa mushi) is most tasteful [yū ni koso haberumere]. The conception of the Right’s ‘Autumn’s hues have faded from this field’ (aki no iro no utsurou nobe) where ‘sorrow is evergreen’ (aware wa karenu) is most moving, indeed; the Left, too, has a find conclusion to their poem, and so with both being heartfelt [kokoro utsurite], the round should tie.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Winter I: 16

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Left (Win).

霜枯るゝ野原に秋の忍はれて心のうちに鹿ぞ鳴ぬる

shimo karuru
nohara ni aki no
shinobarete
kokoro no uchi ni
shika zo nakinuru		 Burnt by frost
The fields autumn
Bring back to me, and
Within my heart
A stag cries out.

Lord Suetsune.

511

Right.

鹿の音も蟲もさまざま聲絶えて霜枯はてぬ宮城野の原

shika no oto mo
mushi mo samasama
koe taete
shimogarehatenu
miyagino no hara		 The sound of stags and
All the insects varied
Cries are gone;
Completely burned by frost is
The plain of Miyagino.

Ietaka.

512

The Right say that the Left’s poem is ‘fine, perhaps’ [yoroshiki ka]. The Left reply that the Right’s ‘lacks any faults.’

Shunzei’s judgement: Both poems are on the topic of ‘withered fields’ and the Right has a fine final section with ‘the plain of Miyagino’ (miyagino no hara), but the initial section with ‘stags’ and ‘insects’ sounds as if the poet is enumerating members of list [kazoetatetaru yō ni ya kikoyu]. The Left, with its ‘The fields autumn bring back to me’ (nohara ni aki no shinobarete), followed by ‘Within my heart a stag cries out’ (kokoro no uchi ni shika zo nakinuru), is most fine. The Left should win.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Winter I: 13

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Left (Win).

見し秋を何に殘さん草の原ひとつに變る野邊のけしきに

mishi aki o
nani ni nokosan
kusa no hara
hitotsu ni kawaru
nobe no keshiki ni		 Of the sights of autumn
What should I recall?
The fields of grasses
Have become but one
Single plain within my view…

A Servant Girl.

505

Right.

霜枯の野邊のあはれを見ぬ人や秋の色には心とめけむ

shimogare no
nobe no aware o
minu hito ya
aki no iro ni wa
kokoro tomekemu		 A frost-burned
Plain – so sad:
Can one who’s viewed it not
Hold the hues of autumn
Within his heart?

Lord Takanobu.

506

The Right state that the phrase ‘fields of grasses’ (kusa no hara) ‘sounds poor’ [kikiyokarazu]. The Left state that the Right’s poem is ‘antiquated’ [furumekashi].

Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s ‘What should I recall? The fields of grasses’ (nani ni nokosan kusa no hara) is charming [en ni koso haberumere]. The gentlemen of the Right’s reasoning for finding fault with ‘fields of grasses’ is highly flawed [mottomo utata aru ni ya]. Murasaki Shikibu was better at writing prose than composing poems. Thus, The Festival of the Cherry Blossoms is particularly charming [koto ni en’naru mono nari]. It is highly regrettable for one to compose poetry without having read The Tale of Genji. The Right’s poem does not appear poor in diction and conception [kokoro kotoba ashiku wa miezaru]. However, it is extremely mundane in style [tsune no tei narubeshi]. The Left’s poem is better, and I make it the winner.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Winter I: 11

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Left (Win).

白菊も紫深く成にけり秋と冬とに色や分くらん

shiragiku mo
murasaki fukaku
narinikeri
aki to fuyu to ni
iro ya wakuran		 The white chrysanthemums
A deeper violet
Have taken on;
Are autumn and winter, then
Divided by their hues?

Lord Ari’ie.

501

Right.

霜枯の菊にしあらば紫に移ろふ色も嬉しとや見む

shimogare no
kiku ni shiaraba
murasaki ni
utsurou iro mo
ureshi to ya mimu		 If frost-burned
Chrysanthemums there were, then
To violet,
Would a shift of hue
Be a source of joy?

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

502

The Right state that the Left’s poem expresses the topic only in its initial part. The Left comment that the Right’s poem is ‘little different from’ [Minamoto no] Koremitsu (d.1127)’s poem:

霜枯るゝ花とも見ずは白菊の移ろふ色を歎かさらまし

shimogaruru
hana to mo mizu wa
shiragiku no
utsurou iro o
nagekazaramashi		 If frost-burned
Flowers I failed to spot,
White chrysanthemums’
Shifting hues
Might not cause me grief…

Shunzei’s judgement: The criticism that ‘the Left’s poem expresses the topic only in its initial part’ is pointless. It is common practice [tsune no narai] in poetry for the topic to be mentioned the initial part of a poem, and not in the latter; or not mentioned initially and then referred to in the final section. This section, too, just as in the Right’s poem in Winter I: 9, follows the Theory of the Five Elements. On the fact of the Right’s poem resembling Koremitsu’s: as I have said before, it is difficult to entirely avoid reference to poems outside of the Anthologies. However, if this is a poem on the topic of ‘lingering chrysanthemums’ from the Poetry Contest held in the younger years of the Lord of Hosshōji, that is all the more reason to avoid it. Thus, although in form [sama de] it may be somewhat lacking, the Left’s poem is most tasteful [yū ni haberubeshi]. The Left wins.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Winter I: 10

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Left (Win).

暮ていにし秋の形見と思ふべき菊さへ色を變へてけるかな

kurete’inishi
aki no katami to
omoubeki
kiku sae iro o
kaetekeru kana		 Night has fallen on
Autumn’s keepsake –
Or so I thought –
Even the chrysanthemums’ hues
Have changed…

Lord Kanemune.

499

Right.

一枝も折りつる袖は白菊の匂ひまでこそ移ろひにけれ

hito eda mo
oritsuru sode wa
shiragiku no
nioi made koso
utsuroinikere		 A single stem
I plucked and to my sleeves
The white chrysanthemums’
Scent, even,
Has shifted…

Jakuren.

500

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem. The Left state that there does not seem to be the conception of ‘lingering’ in the Right’s poem. In response, the Right say, ‘By the use of “even” (made) one can understand that the chrysanthemums’ hues have shifted as well. The use of “shift” (utsurou) expresses the conception of lingering [nokori no kokoro nari].

Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s ‘Even the chrysanthemums’ hues’ (kiku sae iro o) seems most fine [yoroshiku koso haberumere]. The Right, too, with its ‘chrysanthemums’ scent’ (kiku no nioi) is particularly splendid [fukaku yū ni wa haberubeshi]. On the matter of the conception of lingering chrysanthemums [nokori no kiku no kokoro], the Right have said that ‘using “even the scent” expresses the conception of lingering’, which is true enough, but is it not that the scent has shifted to the poet’s sleeves, even though the flowers are chrysanthemums? Thus, the conception of a shift of hue must be somewhat weak [utsurou kokoro wa nao sukunakarubeku]. In any case, the Left’s conception of lingering is certainly stronger. The Left wins.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn III: 30

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Left.

龍田姫今はの比の秋風に時雨をいそぐ人の袖かな

tatsuta hime
ima wa no koro no
aki kaze ni
shigure o isogu
hito no sode kana		 Princess Tatsuta,
At this time, now,
With the autumn winds
Does hurry along the showers
Upon folks’ sleeves.

A Servant Girl.

479

Right.

あはれなる身のたぐひとも思来し秋も今はの夕暮の空

awarenaru
mi no tagui tomo
omoikoshi
aki mo ima wa no
yūgure no sora		 How sad
Am I and so, too,
I’d thought was
Autumn, now ended
With the evening skies.

Nobusada.

480

The Right state that ‘hurry along the showers’ (shigure o isogu) is lacking in technique [jutsu nashi]. The Left merely say that the Right’s poem ‘isn’t bad.’

Shunzei’s judgement: Both poems use ‘now’ (ima wa) in their diction [kotoba], in conjunction with a powerful [sechinaru] conception [kokoro] of regretting autumn’s passing. Nevertheless, the Gentleman of the Left has said the Right’s poem ‘isn’t bad’ and the Gentleman of the Right has said that of the Left ‘lacks technique’. I feel, however, that the initial conception ‘Princess Tatsuta, at this time, now’ (tatsuta hime ima wa) does not refer only to autumn [but could be used for winter, too]. The Right’s ‘Autumn, now ended with the evening skies’ (aki mo ima wa no yūgure no sora) is also somewhat lacking in technique, is it not? Thus, the round lacks a clear winner, or loser.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn III: 29

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Left.

有明の名ばかり秋の月影に弱り果てたる蟲の聲かな

ariake no
na bakari aki no
tsukikage ni
yowarihatetaru
mushi no koe kana		 Dawn it is in
Name alone; in autumn
The moonlight is
At its faintest
As are the insects’ songs…

Lord Sada’ie.

477

Right (Win).

暮れて行秋の名残も山の端に月と共にや有明の空

kureteyuku
aki no nagori mo
yama no ha ni
tsuki to tomo ni ya
ariake no sora		 Turning to dusk,
Is there a memento of autumn, too,
Upon the mountains’ edge
Together with the moon in
The dawning skies?

Jakuren.

478

The Right question the Left’s use of ‘Dawn it is in name alone’ (ariake no na bakari). The Left find no fault with the Right’s poem.

Shunzei’s judgement: I do not feel there is anything particularly wrong with ‘name alone; in autumn’ (na bakari aki no), but the Right’s ‘Together with the moon in the dawning skies’ (tsuki to tomo ni ya ariake no sora) seems most fine [yoroshikuhaberubeshi]. Thus, the Right wins.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn III: 27

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Left (Tie).

惜しみかね秋暮ぬとは小男鹿の音せで人に告るなりけり

oshimikane
aki kurenu to wa
saoshika no
oto sede hito ni
tuguru narikeri		 Unable to bear
The end of autumn
The stag
Falls silent, and to man
The end relates…

Kenshō.

473

Right.

明日よりや荻の葉あへず霜枯て秋をば夢と驚かすべき

asu yori ya
ogi no ha aezu
shimogarete
aki o ba yume to
odorokasubeki		 From tomorrow
The fronds of silver-grass, unbearably,
Will be frost-burned;
That Autumn is but a dream
Will be clear to all.

The Provisional Master of the Empress Household Office.

474
Neither Left nor Right have any criticisms to make this round.

Shunzei’s judgement: Neither team has identified any faults with the other’s poem this round. However, the Left’s ‘The stag falls silent, and to man the end relates’ (oto sede hito ni tsuguru) is unclear, isn’t it? [obotsukanaku ya] The Right’s ‘fronds of silver-grass, unbearably’ (ogi no ha aezu) is also impossible to understand [ekokoroehaberanu]. Thus, the round must tie.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn III: 26

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Left (Win).

常よりも今年に秋のくれはどりあやしきまでに惜まるゝ哉

tsune yori mo
kotoshi ni aki no
kure hadori
ayashiki made ni
oshimaruru kana		 More that ever
This year autumn’s
Ending –
So much it’s strange –
Fills me with regret.

Lord Suetsune.

471

Right.

かくばかり心にとまる秋の色のいづくの隙を漏りて行くらん

kaku bakari
kokoro ni tomaru
aki no iro no
izuku no hima o
moriteyukuran		 So strong
They halt my heart
The hues of autumn
Through some space
Do seem to slip…

Lord Takanobu.

472

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem. The Left query, ‘What is the space (hima) in in the Right’s poem. We also wonder whether hues can slip?’

Shunzei’s judgement: The comments made by each team are appropriate. Thus, the Left wins.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn III: 25

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Left (Win).

長月の月も在明になりぬれば秋暮れ果つる夕暗の空

nagatsuki no
tsuki mo ariake ni
narinureba
aki kurehatsuru
yūyami no sora		 When the Longest Month
Comes close
To daybreak,
Autumn is in twilight
In the darkened evening skies…

Lord Ari’ie.

469

Right.

立ちかへる空なく秋や思ふらん野邊の草葉に露ぞ茂れる

tachikaeru
sora naku aki ya
omouran
nobe no kusaba ni
tsuyu zo shigereru		 There will be no return
To these skies, does the Autumn
Feel?
All the plants upon the plain are
Drenched with dew…

Lord Tsune’ie.

470

The Right wonder, ‘Why the Left has “Autumn in twilight” (aki kurehatsuru) at daybreak?’ The Left respond, ‘This is simply to convey the feeling that autumn has reached its end with the evening darkness. In the Right’s poem, “no [return] to these skies” (sora naku) does not fit with the conception [kokoro yukite kikoezu]. We also wonder at the usage of “drenched with dew” (tsuyu shigeru).’

Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s poem is better.