Tag Archives: fleeceflower

GSIS II: 149

Around the Third Month, composed on the grasses in the fields.

野邊見ればやよひの月のはつかまでまだうら若きさゐたづまかな

nobe mireba
yayoFi no tuki no
Fatuka made
mada urawakaki
sawitaduma kana
Gazing ‘cross the fields,
Until the Third Month
Its twentieth day does reach,
Yet fresh and green does seem
The fleeceflower…

Fujiwara no Yoshitaka.

Spring III: 29

Left.

うら若き弥生の野邊のさいたづま春は末ばに成にける哉

urawakaki
yayoi no nobe no
saitazuma

haru wa sueba ni
narinikeru kana
Fresh and green
The Third Month fields of
Fleeceflower;
Spring, its end
Has reached, indeed!

Lord Ari’ie.

177

Right (Win).

いかなれば咲きそむるより藤の花暮れ行春の色を見すらむ

ikanareba
sakisomuru yori
fuji no hana
kureyuku haru no
iro o misuramu
For some reason
With the first blush of
Wisteria blooms,
Departing Spring
Does show its hues.

Ietaka.

178

The Right wonder, ‘Whether “fresh and green the Third Month” (urawakaki yayoi) is quite appropriate?’, (meaning that associations of youth with the Third Month, which marked the end of Spring seem incongruous). The Left have no particular remarks to make about the Right’s poem.

Shunzei states, ‘Both the Left’s “fresh and green the Third Month” (urawakaki yayoi) and the Right’s “for some reason” (ikanareba) are of the same quality, but in addition, “wisteria blooms” (fuji no hana) is better than “fleeceflower” (saitazuma), and so its final stanza is somewhat better. It should win.’