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

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

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!

Lord Kanemune.

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…

Kenshō.

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.

Jakuren.

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

Lord Kanemune.

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.

Nobusada.

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.’