Tag Archives: aoigusa

Summer I: 17

Left (Win).

雲井より立つる使にあふひ草幾年かけつ賀茂の川波

kumoi yori
tatsuru tsukai ni
aoigusa
ikutose kaketsu
kamo no kawanami
From the palace ‘bove the clouds
The messengers descend in
Hollyhocks;
How many years have
They met the ripples on Kamo River?

A Servant Girl.

213

Right.

年ごとのけふのみあれにあふひ草かゝるかざしはあらじとぞ思

toshigoto no
kyō no miare ni
aoigusa
kakaru kazashi wa
araji to zo omou
Every year
For the festival, today,
Hollyhocks
Apart, decorations
Are there none!

Lord Tsune’ie.

214

The Right remark that, ‘the waves appear somewhat abruptly’ in the Left’s poem, while the Left simply say, ‘from an unusual beginning, the Right’s poem says simply “decorations are there none”, which is obvious.’

Shunzei contents himself with, ‘The Left wins by a small margin.’

Summer I: 15

Left.

流れての世のためしとてかたがたの使立ち來賀茂の川波

nagarete no
yo no tameshi tote
katagata no
tsukai tachikuru
kamo no kawa nami
From times of old
Has it been the custom in this world
For every
Messenger to come flowing in
Ripples on Kamo River.

Lord Ari’ie.

209

Right (Win).

あふひ草秋の宮人かけそへてのどかに渡る賀茂の河水

aoigusa
aki no miyabito
kakesoete
nodoka ni wataru
kamo no kawamizu
With hollyhocks have
Her Majesty’s men
Garlanded the carriage;
Calmly crossing
The waters of Kamo River.

Ietaka.

210

Neither team has any criticisms to make.

Shunzei states that, ‘Both poems are certainly effortlessly worthy of victory, but “calmly crossing the waters of Kamo River” (nodoka ni wataru kamo no kawamizu) sounds slightly more peaceful than “messenger to come flowing in ripples on Kamo River” (tsukai tachikuru kamo no kawa nami), so it should win.’