Topic: Scarlet Leaves
Poets
A poetry match held by His Majesty, matching scarlet leaves in the intercalary Ninth Month, Tenryaku 9.[i]
Round One
Left
わがをりてくらぶのやまのもみぢばにひとしきいろはあらじとぞおもふ
wa ga orite kurabu no yama no momijiba ni hitoshiki iro wa araji to zo omou I pick, and
1
Right (Win)
うすくこくくらぶのやまのもみぢばはつゆもわかねどいろぞまされる
usuku koku kurabu no yama no momijiba wa tsuyu mo wakanedo iro zo masareru Both pale and dark
2
[i] This corresponds to November 955.
Original
ゆくあきをまねくをばなのたもとにはつゆもおきあへずのどけからねば
yuku aki o maneku obana no tamoto ni wa tsuyu mo oki’aezu nodokekaraneba Departing autumn
36
Left
まねくにしあきのとまらぬものならばをばなのそでやせばくなりなん
maneku ni shi aki no tomaranu mono naraba obana no sode ya sebaku narinan They may beckon, but
37
Right
まねけどもとまらぬあきをはなすすきほにいでてしかをなきてしたはむ
manekedomo tomaranu aki o hanasusuki ho ni idete shika o nakite shitawamu They beckon, yet
38
Composed while gazing at some sweet-flags, which had been planted by her child who had died young.
あやめぐさたれしのべとかうゑおきてよもぎがもとのつゆと消えけん
ayamegusa tare shinobe to ka ue’okite yomogi ga moto no tsuyu to kieken These sweet-flags,
Kayanoin no Yūshide
In reply to a message sent from the residence of someone who had gone to a distant province, saying ‘I would show you my sleeves…’
我ゆゑにぬるるにはあらじから衣やまぢのこけの露にぞ有りける
ware yue ni nururu ni wa araji karakoromo yamaji no koke no tsuyu ni zo arikeru For my sake
612
Original
ゆくあきをまねくをばなのたもとにはつゆもおきあへずのどけからねば
yuku aki o maneku obana no tamoto ni wa tsuyu mo oki’aezu nodokekaraneba Departing autumn
36
Left
まねくにしあきのとまらぬものならばをばなのそでやせばくなりなん
maneku ni shi aki no tomaranu mono naraba obana no sode ya sebaku narinan They may beckon, but
37
Right
まねけどもとまらぬあきをはなすすきほにいでてしかをなきてしたはむ
manekedomo tomaranu aki o hanasusuki ho ni idete shika o nakite shitawamu They beckon, yet
38
Composed on the moon above the mountains.
あしびきの山ぢのこけの露のうへにねざめ夜ぶかき月を見るかな
ashibiki no Resting upon leg-wearying
Fujiwara no Hideyoshi
The moon at a journey’s lodging
ひとりふす草の枕の露のうへにしらぬ野ばらの月をみるかな
hitori fusu kusa no makura no tsuyu no ue ni shiranu nobara no tsuki o miru kana Lying alone [i]
579
[i] See: Composed on the moon above the mountains. あしびきの山ぢのこけの露のうへにねざめ夜ぶかき月を見るかな ashibiki no / yamaji no koke no / tsuyu no ue ni / nezame yobukaki / tsuki o miru kana ‘Resting upon leg-wearying / Mountain trails’ moss / Atop the dew / I awoke late at night / And glimpsed the moon.’ Fujiwara no Hideyoshi (Shinkokinshū IV: 398kyō wa mata / shiranu nobara ni / yukikurenu / izure no yama ka / tsuki wa izuran ‘Today, once more / Across an unknown plain /I go at sundown; / Which will be the mountain / Where the moon does rise?’ Minamoto no Ienaga (Shinkokinshū X: 956
ひとりふす草の枕のよるのつゆは友なき鹿のなみだなりけり
hitori fusu kusa no makura no yoru no tsuyu wa tomo naki shika no namida narikeri Lying alone
578
野べにけぬ袖だに露は置くものをただこの比の秋のゆふ暮
nobe ni kenu sode dani tsuyu wa oku mono o tada kono koro no aki no yūgure Never gone from the plains,
574
Evening dew on a journey.
つゆしげみならはぬ野べのかり衣比しもかなし秋の夕ぐれ
tsuyu shigemi narawanu nobe no karigoromo koro shimo kanashi aki no yūgure So heavy the dew
573
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