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Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn I: 30

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Left.

朝まだき庭も籬も野分して露をきあがる草の葉もなし

asa madaki
niwa mo magaki mo
nowakishite
tsuyu okiagaru
kusa no ha mo nashi		 At the cusp of dawn
My garden and my fence, too,
After the gales,
Are drenched in dew
Flattened blades of grass – every one.

Lord Ari’ie.

359

Right.

夕間暮むら雲迷ひ吹風に枕定めぬ花の色いろ

yūmagure
muragumo mayoi
fuku kaze ni
makura sadamenu
hana no iroiro		 In the dim dusk light
Crowding clouds confusedly
Blown by the breeze
Unable to rest are all
The many blooms.

Lord Takanobu.

360

The Right state that ‘linking “gales” with “drenched” is a poor expression’, while the Left feel that they have no criticisms of the Right’s poem.

Shunzei, again, broadly agrees: ‘What are we to make of the Left’s poem with a fence left standing in a garden after a gale? The Right’s “crowding clouds confusedly” is fine, indeed. Although the term “pillow” is unsuitable in this context, the Left’s “drenched in dew” cannot possibly be right here, either, and so the Right wins.”

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn I: 28

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Left (Win).

萩の葉にかはりし風の秋の聲やがて野分の露砕く也

hagi no ha ni
kawarishi kaze no
aki no koe
yagate nowaki no
tsuyu kudakunari		 Bush clover leaves
Brushed by the breeze
Speak of autumn;
Swift comes the gale,
Scattering dewdrops…

Lord Sada’ie.

355

Right.

靡き行く尾花が末に浪越えて眞野の野分に續く濱風

nabikiyuku
obana ga sue ni
nami koete
mano no nowaki ni
tsuzuku hamakaze		 Streaming
Miscanthus fronds
Wave
At Mano in the gales
Born from breezes off the beaches.

Nobusada.

356

The Left’s ‘speak of autumn’ (aki no koe) and the Right’s ‘born from’ (tsuzuku) are each found unsatisfactory by the opposing team.

Shunzei states, ‘Both the poems of the Left and Right have been found unsatisfactory by a number of modern poets, and is this not reasonable? However, the Left’s “Brushed by the breeze speak of autumn” (kawarishi kaze no aki no koe) is particularly fine. The Right’s “born from” is not a turn of phrase which could be considered pleasant; starting with “streaming” (nabikiyuku) and then continuing to “breezes off the beaches” (hamakaze) which lead to “Mano in the gales” (mano no nowaki ni) suggests an implicit meaning, but the Left’s upper and lower sections are finer. It should win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn I: 18

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Left (Left).

風渡る淺茅が上の露にだに宿りも果てぬ宵の稲妻

kaze wataru
asaji ga ue no
tsuyu ni dani
yadori mo hatenu
yoi no inazuma		 Brushed by the breeze,
Atop the cogon grass
The dewdrops but
Briefly rest:
Lightning at dusk.

Lord Ari’ie.

335

Right.

眺むれば風吹く野邊の露にだに宿りも果てぬ稲妻の影

nagamureba
kaze fuku nobe no
tsuyu ni dani
yadori mo hatenu
inazuma no kage		 Idly gazing
Across the windblown meadow;
The dewdrops but
Briefly rest:
Lightning’s light.

Ietaka.

336

The Right simply say, ‘The Left’s poem is fine, is it not!’ The Left, however, grumble, ‘We cannot see how the final phrase relates to what has come before.’

Shunzei states, ‘Both poems are remarkably similar in spirit and diction, with the Left concluding “lightning at dusk” (yoi no inazuma) and the Right with “lightning’s light” (inazuma no kage) – is there really much to choose between them? The Left wins.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn I: 5

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Left.

秋來ても猶夕風を松が根に夏を忘れし陰ぞたち憂き

aki kitemo
nao yū kaze wo
matsu ga ne ni
natsu o wasureshi
kage zo tachi uki		 Though the autumn has come,
Still, for an evening breeze,
Must I abide beneath the pines,
As did I to forget the summer,
Loath to leave the shade…

Lord Sada’ie.

309

Right.

夏衣まだ脱ぎやらぬ夕暮は袖に待たるゝ萩の上風

natsukoromo
mada nugiyaranu
yūgure wa
sode ni mataruru
hagi no uwakaze		 My summer garb
Have I not yet put away;
In the evening
My sleeves await
A breeze over the bush-clover.

Jakuren.

310

Neither team can find any fault with the other’s poem.

Shunzei, however, says, ‘With regard to the Right’s poem, one marks the change of clothing at the end of spring into summer, and the passage from autumn and the entrance to winter. Does one say that now it is autumn, one changes from summer clothes? The Left’s ‘beneath the pines’ must win, must it not?’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn I: 2

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Round One-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Autumn – Lingering Heat.

Left.

水無月の照る日や影を殘しけん今朝吹く風の秋に知られぬ

minazuki no
teru hi ya kage o
nokoshiken
kesa fuku kaze no
aki ni shirarenu		 The Waterless Month’s
Shining sun and light
Seem to linger on;
To this morning’s blowing breeze
Is autumn quite unknown.

Kenshō.

303

Right (Win).

秋を淺み照る日を夏とおぼめけば暮行空の荻の上風

aki o asami
teru hi o natsu to
obomekeba
kureuyuku sora no
ogi no uwakaze		 In autumn ‘tis weak, yet
The shining sun, of summer
Yet has the feel;
From the dusking sky comes
The wind o’er the silver-grass.

The Provisional Master of the Empress Household Office.

304

The Right state, ‘It would have been far better to have “This morning’s blowing breeze brings no knowledge of autumn” (kesa fuku kaze no aki o shirasenu).’ The Left reply, ‘In the Right’s poem, the initial section fails to express the topic, and the latter part seems to have no purpose.’

Shunzei’s judgement is: ‘With regard to the Left’s poem, I cannot agree that “brings no knowledge of autumn” is any better than “is autumn quite unknown”. As for the Right, in general it is not considered that “the shining sun, of summer yet has the feel” (teru hi o natsu to obomekeba) provides suitable praise to the lingering heat of autumn. However, even in poems on the theme of lingering heat, it is appropriate to praise the coolness of early evening. Does not “From the dusking sky comes the wind o’er the silver-grass” (kureuyuku sora no ogi no uwakaze) do this? It must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Autumn I: 1

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Left (Tie).

唐衣ひとへに夏の氣色にて袂に秋は知られざりけり

karakoromo
hitoe ni natsu no
keshiki nite
tamoto ni aki wa
shirarezarikeri		 My Cathay robe:
A single layer has summer’s
Feel;
Upon my sleeves is autumn
Entirely unknown.

Lord Suetsune.

301

Right.

秋來ぬと風の氣色は見ゆれども猶涼しさは音せざりけり

aki kinu to
kaze no keshiki wa
miyuredomo
nao suzushisa wa
oto sezarekeri		 When autumn came
In the breeze’s touch
Did I feel it,
Without coolness or
Sound.

Lord Tsune’ie.

302

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem; the Left merely wonder ‘whether proceeding from ‘coolness’ (suzushisa) to ‘sound’ (oto) is appropriate expression, although it is in keeping with the spirit of the topic.’

Shunzei states, ‘The Left’s poem has no particular problems, but “My Cathay robe: a single layer” (karakoromo hitoe) is a somewhat old-fashioned expression, and saying “Upon my sleeves is autumn entirely unknown” (tamoto ni aki wa shirarezarikeri) seems rather pointless. In the Right’s poem, while it is in the spirit of “My eyes clearly” (me ni Fa sayakani), “Without coolness or sound” (nao suzushisa wa oto sezarekeri) is clumsy expression. Neither poem is a worthy victor this round.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 16

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Left (Win).

暮そめて草の葉なびく風のまに垣根涼しき夕顔の花

kuresomete
kusa no ha nabiku
kaze no ma ni
kakine suzushiki
yūgao no hana		 At the first fall of dusk
Blades of grass rustle
In the breeze;
On the brushwood fence coolly
Blooms a moonflower.

Lord Sada’ie.

271

Right.

日數ふる雪にしほれし心地して夕顔咲ける賤が竹垣

hikazu furu
yuki ni shioreshi
kokochishite
yūgao sakeru
shizu ga takegaki		 Day after passing day
Of snowfall has draped it,
I feel,
Moonflowers blooming on
A peasant’s bamboo fence.

Lord Tsune’ie.

272

The Right state, ‘Both “first fall of dusk” (kuresomete) and “in the breeze” (kaze no ma ni) are unusual expressions.’ The Left in return say, ‘It sounds as if the bamboo fence is weighed down with moonflowers!’ (The Left here are interpreting the verb shioru to mean ‘bend down’ which is one of its senses. I have not followed this in my translation, in line with Shunzei’s judgement, below.)

Shunzei comments, ‘The gentlemen of the Right have stated that “first fall of dusk” (kuresomete) and “in the breeze” (kaze no ma ni) are unusual expressions, but I do not feel this to be particularly the case. As for yuki ni shiroreshi, surely this simply means that the fence is draped. In any case, however, “on the brushwood fence, coolly” is the superior poem in every way.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 12

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Left (Win).

袖のうちに半ば隱るゝ扇こそまだ出はてぬ月と見えけれ

sode no uchi ni
nakaba kakururu
ōgi koso
made idehatenu
tsuki to miekere		 Within my sleeve
A half-concealed
Fan,
The barely risen
Moon to me recalls.

Lord Suetsune.

263

Right.

恨みても散りにし花を尋ばや扇ぞ風のやどりなりける

uramitemo
chirinishi hana o
tazuneba ya
ōgi zo kaze no
yadori narikeru		 I resent it, yet upon
The fallen blossoms
Would I pay a call;
Within my fan, the breeze
Has made its lodging.

Jakuren.

264

The Right find that the Left’s poem, ‘seems to have no problems,’ while the Left state that the Right’s is ‘extremely good.’

Shunzei judges, ‘The Left’s poem displays a fine use of expression. The Right’s poem is redolent the Kokinshu poem “Breeze’s lodging – Does anyone know it? Tell me! For I would go and curse it!”, but refers to already fallen blossoms. The gentlemen of the Left have pronounced the Right’s poem fine, but I feel the Left must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 11

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Left.

風通ふ扇に秋のさそはれてまづ手なれぬる閨の月影

kaze kayou
ōgi ni aki no
sasowarete
mazu te narenuru
neya no tsukikage		 The breeze wafted
By my fan to autumn
Beckons;
Accustomed before me to have
A moonlit bed.

Lord Sada’ie.

261

Right (Win).

うちはらふ扇の風のほどなきに思ひこめたる荻の音かな

uchiharau
ōgi no kaze no
hodo naki ni
omoikometaru
ogi no oto kana		 Sweeping
My fan, the breeze
Ceaselessly
Brings thoughts of
Rustling silver grass.

Ietaka.

262

Both teams consider the other’s poems to be ‘not bad’ this round.

Shunzei, however, finds fault with both: ‘The Left’s “bed” (neya) does occur in both Chinese poetry and our own, however, I cannot help but find it undesirable. The Right’s “Sweeping my fan” (uchiharau ōgi) and “Brings thoughts of silver grass” (omoikometaru ogi) are both fine examples of mangled expression, and are, moreover, unclear. Thus, “a moonlit bed” must win, I feel.

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 10

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Left (Tie).

雪の色の夏も消えせぬかひやこれ扇の風の秋よりもけに

yuki no iro no
natsu mo kiesenu
kai ya kore
ōgi no kaze no
aki yori mo ke ni		 The hue of snow
Unmelted in summer
Must have some effect for
My fan’s breeze has
More than autumn’s…

Lord Ari’ie.

259

Right (Tie).

うたゝ寢に扇をならす床の上の月と風とは秋の物かは

utatane ni
ōgi o narasu
toko no ue no
tsuki to kaze to wa
aki no mono ka wa		 Dozing and
Wafting a fan
Above my bed:
Do both moon and breeze
Belong to autumn?

Lord Takanobu.

260

The Right state that ‘Both “some effect” (kai ya kore) and “more than…” (ke ni) seem somewhat insufficient.’ The Left wonder, ‘if the fan’s shape, making the moon “belong to autumn” (aki no mono ka wa) is enough?’

Shunzei judges, ‘Both the Left and Right poems seem most charming. A winner is lacking.’