Tag Archives: evening mists

MYS VII: 1140

Composed in Settsu.

志長鳥 居名野乎来者 有間山 夕霧立 宿者無而

しながとりゐなのをくればありまやまゆふぎりたちぬやどりはなくて

sinagatori
winano wo kureba
arimayama
yupugiri tatinu
yadori pa nakute
A waterbird’s long cry
At Ina plain where I have come,
In the Arima Mountains
The evening mists have risen, and
No lodging is there for me…

Anonymous

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

GSIS IV: 292

Composed for the Poetry Match held at the Residence of Imperial Princess Sukeko (5/6/Eishō 5 kōshin [26.6.1050]).

をぐら山たちどもみえぬゆふぎりにつままどはせるしかぞなくなる

wogurayama
tatidomo mienu
yuFugiri ni
tuma madoFaseru
sika zo nakunaru
On gloomy Ogura Mountain
Stands unseen
Among the evening mists
Having lost his mate
A belling stag.

Gō no jijū
江侍従

A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

Autumn II: 8

Left (Win).

夕霧に千草の花はこもれども隱れぬ物は蟲の聲ごゑ

yūgiri ni
chigusa no hana wa
komoredomo
kakurenu mono wa
mushi no koegoe
In the evening mists
A multitude of blooms
Are enveloped, yet
Unhidden are
The insects’ songs…

Lord Suetsune.

375

Right.

野邊の色はみな薄墨に成にけりしばしと見ゆ夕霧の空

nobe no iro wa
mina usuzumi ni
narinikeri
shibashi to miyu
yūgiri no sora
The fields’ hues
Have all with a weak wash of ink
Been overlayed;
Only briefly yet visible
Is the misty evening sky…

Lord Takanobu.

376

An AI generated image showing a view over a meadow in Japan in the early evening. Mist fills the air almost blocking out the sight of the moon, which has just risen, and also deadens and softens the colours of the the grasses and flowers in the meadow.
Created with Adobe Firefly.
A kuzushiji version of the poem's text.
Created with Soan.

The Right state that, ‘The Left’s poem is supposed to be on the theme of “evening mists”, but it seems to be more focussed on “insects”. The Left counter with, ‘the use of “weak wash of ink” (usuzumi) is unsuited to the end of the poem. The theme of “autumn evenings” is dully depicted, is it not?’

Shunzei’s judgement: Although the Left’s poem does begin with ‘in the evening mists’ (yūgiri ni), it certainly is a poem on insects. In terms of diction, though, ‘all with a weak wash of ink’ (mina usuzumi) is not permissible. Thus, even though it is on insects, the Left wins.