万代を菊の種とや蒔きそめて花見る毎に祈り来にける
| yoroduyo wo kiku no tane to ya makisomete Fana miru goto ni inorikinikeru |
“For ten thousand generations!” Chrysanthemum seeds I have begun to sew, and With the sight of every bloom, That was my fervent prayer! |
19
Tag Archives: bloom
Kanpyō no ōntoki kiku awase 5
The isle of Tamino in Tsu province. Below the chrysanthemum on the suhama was the shape of a woman gathering shellfish, sheltering beneath her sleeves.
田蓑ともいまは求めじたちかへり花の雫にぬれむと思へば
| tamino tomo ima Fa motomezi taikaFeri Fana no shiduku ni nuremu to omoFeba |
At Tamino Shall I seek no more, but Rise and return; For droplets from this bloom Shall soak me I fear. |
5
Kanpyō no ōntoki kiku awase 3
A chrysanthemum from Murasakino.
名にしおへば花さへ匂ふ紫の一本菊における初霜
| na nisi oFeba Fana saFe nioFu murasaki no Fitomoto kiku ni okeru Fatusimo |
Bearing such a name This bloom is certain to scent: Upon a violet Single chrysanthemum The first frost has fallen. |
3
Chūjō miyasudokoro uta’awase
Composed when it was said that a poetry competition was to be held at the residence of the Ninna Middle Captain Lady of the Bedchamber.
花のちることやわびしき春霞たつたの山のうぐひすのこゑ
| Fana no tiru koto ya wabisiki Farugasumi tatuta no yama no uguFisu no kowe | The falling of the flowers Is sad, indeed; In the spring haze On Tatsuta Mountain A warbler cries… |
Fujiwara no Chikage
藤原後蔭
1[1]
Composed when it was said that a poetry competition was to be held at the residence of the Ninna Middle Captain Lady of the Bedchamber.
惜しと思ふ心は糸に縒られなむ散る花ごとに貫きてとどめむ
| osi to omoFu kokoro Fa ito ni yorarenamu tiru Fana goto ni nukite todomemu | A regretful Heart with threads Does seem to be entangled; Every single scattered bloom Will I thread on them to keep. |
Sosei
素性
2[2]
[1]This poem is included in Kokinshū (II: 108).
[2]This poem is included in Kokinshū (II: 114) and also in Sosei-shū 素性集 (16), where in some versions the headnote reads ‘[Composed] on the profusion of blossom when it was decided there would be poetry match at the residence of the Ninnaji Middle Captain Lady of the Bedchamber’.
GSS XVIII: 1288
When she was alone, an enquiry arrived from someone as to how she was, so she attached this to a morning glory and sent it to him.
夕暮のさびしき物は朝顔の花を頼める宿にぞ有りける
| yuFugure no sabisiki mono Fa asagaFo no Fana wo tanomeru yado ni zo arikeru |
The evening is So lonely: A morning glory Bloom alone is trustworthy At my house! |
Anonymous
MYS X: 2274
Horikawa hyakushu 500
乙女子が菅田の池の蓮葉は心よげにも花咲きにけり
| otomego ga sugata no ike no hachisuba wa kokoroyoge ni mo hana sakinikeri |
In maiden Form at Sugata Pond The lotuses Cheerfully Have bloomed! |
Minamoto no Moroyori
源師頼
Autumn I: 26
Left.
百草の花もいかにか思ふらんあな情なの今朝の野分や
| momokusa no hana mo ika ni ka omouran ana nasakena no kesa no nowaki ya |
A myriad of grasses’ Bloom: o what To think? How heartless was The gale this morning! |
351
Right (Win).
吹亂る野分の風の荒ければ安き空なき花の色色
| fukimidaru nowaki no kaze no arakereba yasuki sora naki hana no iroiro |
Blown into confusion by The gale’s gusts So fierce; No respite to bloom For any of the blossoms! |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
352
Neither Left nor Right can find anything to remark upon this round, and say as much.
Shunzei states, ‘“How heartless” (ana nasake na) is, indeed, an intriguing choice of words. The Right’s “blown into confusion” (fukimidaru) is reminiscent of the Tamakazura’s poem in Genji and all the more charming for it, is it not? Furthermore, the Left’s “blooms: o what” (hana mo ika ni ka) and the Right’s “no respite to bloom” (yasuki sora naki) are of equivalent quality, but the Left’s “myriad of grasses” lacks a linking term. Including “blown into confusion” makes the Right’s poem slightly superior, I would say.’
Summer II: 17
Left (Tie).
をのづからなさけぞみゆる荒手組む賤がそともの夕顔の花
| onozukara nasake zo miyuru arate kumu shizu ga soto mo no yūgao no hana |
How natural To be moved: Twined roughly round the fence Outside a peasant’s hut, Moonflower blooms… |
273
Right (Tie).
山賤の契のほどや忍ぶらん夜をのみ待つ夕顔の花
| yamagatsu no chigiri no hodo ya shinoburan yoru o nomi matsu yūgao no hana |
Is it with the mountain man Her time is pledged So secretly? For the night alone, awaiting, The moonflower bloom. |
274
The Right state, ‘it is normal diction to say ‘roughly’ (arate) ‘hang’ (kaku). Is it possible to also use ‘twine’ (kumu)?’ In response from the Left, ‘Yes, one can.’ The Left have no criticisms to make of the Right’s poem.
Shunzei states, ‘Both poems are equally lacking in faults or merits. Whether one uses “roughly” twining or hanging, neither is particularly superlative, I think. “Her time is pledged” (chigiri no hodo ya) seems somehow lacking , too. This round must tie.’
Summer II: 14
Left.
これやこの人めも知らぬ山賤にさしのみ向かふ夕顔の花
| kore ya kono hitome mo shiranu yamagatsu ni sashi nomi mukau yūgao no hana |
Here Hidden from all eyes, To the mountain man Alone, she turns This moonflower bloom |
267
Right (Win).
賤の男が片岡しめて住む宿をもてなす物は夕顔の花
| shizu no o ga kataoka shimete sumu yado o motenasu mono wa yūgao no hana |
The peasant Hemmed in by hills around His house, Garlands it with Moonflower blooms. |
268
The Right grumble that ‘alone, she turns’ (sashi nomi mukau) is ‘grating on the ear’, while the Left wonder if ‘gardlands’ (motenasu) is appropriate (it’s not standard in the lexicon of poetry).
Shunzei simply says, ‘Both poems are equally lacking in faults or merits, but yet I feel the Right should win.’