On flowers.
臥いまろび恋ひは死ぬともいちしろく色には出でじ朝顔の花
| koimarobi kopi pa sinu tomo itisiroku iro ni pa idezi asagapo no pana |
Writhing I may die of love, yet Remarkably No sign of passion’s hue will show, as on A bellflower bloom. |
Tag Archives: bloom
Horikawa hyakushu 500
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.’
Sanekata Shū 28
At around the same time, at the Awata Palace:
この春はいざ山里にすぐしてむ花の都はおるにつゆけし
| kono Faru Fa iza yamazato ni sugusitemu Fana no miyako Fa oru ni tuyukesi |
This spring Why not dwelling in the mountains Should I pass my time? For in the capital, so like a bloom, All is drenched with dew. |