Tag Archives: aware

Senzaishū

SZS XVI: 1026

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I had asked that Master of Discipline Kōkaku be accorded the honour of the role of reader at the ceremony for the recitation of the Vimalakīrti nirdeśa Sutra, and when he was constantly passed over, had complained to the Hosshōji Lay Priest and former Palace Minister; even though he mentioned ‘Shimeji plain’, the following year Kōkaku was once more passed over, so I composed this and sent it to him.

契りおきしさせもが露をいのちにてあはれことしの秋もいぬめり

tigiri okisi
sasemo ga tuyu wo
inoti nite
aFare kotosi no
aki mo inumeri		A promise dropped, as
Dewfall on the mugwort—
Such is life, so
Miserable, this year’s
Autumn must arrive.

Fujiwara no Mototoshi

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.
Kin'yōshū nidobon

KYS IX: 521

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Composed on seeing cherry blossom unexpectedly at Ōmine.

もろともにあはれとおもへ山ざくらはなよりほかにしる人もなし

morotomo ni
aFare to omoFe
yamazakura
Fana yori Foka ni
siru Fito mo nasi		Won’t you as well
Feel kind,
O, mountain cherry?
For other than your blossom,
I have no acquaintances here at all…

Archbishop Gyōson

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.
Shūishū

SIS XV: 950

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When a woman he had been conversing with turned cold, after he was unable to meet her.

あはれともいふべき人はおもほえで身のいたづらになりぬべきかな

aFare to mo
iFubeki Fito Fa
omoFoede
mi no itadura ni
narinubeki kana		‘That’s sad…’—
Someone to say it:
There’s none I can recall, so
My death,
That’s how it will be![i]

The Ichijō Regent

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

[i] Also Ogura hyakunin isshu 45.

Gosenshū

GSS III: 103

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Gazing at the blossom, on a night when the moon was particularly charming.

あたら夜の月と花とをおなじくはあはれしれらむ人にみせばや

atarayo no
tuki to Fana to wo
onaziku Fa
aFare sireramu
Fito ni miseba ya		This fresh night’s
Moon and blossom, too,
Are both same:
If only to one whose feelings are profound
I could show them…

Minamoto no Sane’akira

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.
Hon'in sadaijin-ke uta'awase

Hon’in sadaijin-ke uta’awase 03

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Karukaya

Left

しらつゆにいろかはりゆくかるかやのほにいでてあきをあはれとぞ思ふ

shiratsuyu ni
iro kawariyuku
karukaya no
ho ni idete aki o
aware to zo omou		With silver dewfall
The hues do change
Of the pampas grass—
Fronds emerge and autumn’s
Sorrow I keenly feel.

5

Right

よそめにはこともやすらにかるかやをなど秋風のふきみだるらん

yosome ni wa
koto mo yasura ni
karukaya o
nado akikaze no
fukimidaruran		When glanced at
So peaceful is
The pampas grass, so
Why might the autumn wind
Blow it to such confusion?

6

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Love VIII: 28

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Left (Win)
あはれにぞ鳴あかすなる蛬われのみしぼる袖かと思ふに

aware ni zo
nakiakasunaru
kirigirisu
ware nomi shiboru
sode ka to omou ni		 How sad it is –
Crying with the dawn is
The cricket, though
I alone am wringing
Out my sleeves, I feel.

Lord Suetsune
1075

Right
露深きあはれを思へきりぎりす枕の下の秋の夕暮

tsuyu fukaki
aware o omoe
kirigirisu
makura no shita no
aki no yūgure		 Deep in dew and
Sad, I wish you were,
O, cricket,
Beneath my pillow
On this autumn evening…

Nobusada
1076

The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults we can mention. The Gentlemen of the Left state: our feelings are the same as those of the Right

In judgement: both Left and Right are on ‘crickets’ (kirigirisu) and their configuration and diction sound equally elegantly beautiful. I feel that the Right, with ‘deep in dew and sad, I wish you were’ (tsuyu fukaki aware o omoe), is somewhat lacking in the conception of the poet’s own love, but the Left, with ‘I alone am wringing out my sleeves, I feel’ (ware nomi shiboru sode ka to omou ni), has an excellent conception of love, so I must state that the Left is the winner.