Tag Archives: fuji

Uda-in uta’awase 1

The Day of the Rat (ne no hi 子日)

Left

ほのぼのとみねのひのまづさしつればむすばぬはるのゆきぞとけける

honobono to
mine no hi no mazu
sashitsureba
musubanu haru no
yuki zo tokekeru
Faintly,
Upon the peaks the sun first
Shines, then
Not fully frozen, the spring
Snow melts.

Tsurayuki
1

Right (Win)

かたこひをするがのふじのやまよりもむねのひのまづもえまさるかな

katakoi o
suruga no fuji no
yama yori mo
mune no hi no mazu
moemasaru kana
In love and unrequited,
More than Suruga’s Fuji
Mountain does
The fire in my breast, first
Burn all the greater!

Tomonori
2

SCSS XII: 710

A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the Reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.

年をへてもゆてふふじの山よりもあはぬ思ひは我ぞまされる

toshi o hete
moyu chō fuji no
yama yori mo
awanu omoi wa
ware zo masareru
Through all the passing years
Burns Fuji;
Far more than the mountain,
Not meeting you, the flames of passion,
Burn brightly in me.

Anonymous

Fubokushō XXIV: 11156

From a poetry contest at Sadafun’s house.

みねはもえふもとはこほるふじ川のわれもうき世を住みぞわづらふ

mine Fa moe
Fumoto Fa koForu
FuzigaFa no
ware mo ukiyo wo
sumi zo waduraFu
At the peak it burns and
At the foot does freeze:
The Fuji River, just as
I, too, in this cruel world
Live and suffer.

Fukayabu

This is the sole surviving poem from ‘Sadafumi’s Poetry Contest‘.

KKS II: 119

A party of ladies on their way home from Shiga came into the precincts of the Kazan temple and stood for a while beneath the wisteria; when they had gone, he composed this and sent it to them.

よそに見てかへらん人にふぢの花はひまつはれよ枝はおるとも

yoso ni mite
kaFeran Fito ni
Fudi no Fana
FaFimatuFare yo
eda Fa oru tomo
A casual glance, and
Then those girls are gone;
O, wisteria blooms,
Twine around and hold them here,
Though your branches break…

Archbishop Henjō

Love VI: 29

Left (Win).
忍びかね心の空に立つ煙見せばや富士の峰にまがへて

shinobikane
kokoro no sora ni
tatsu kemuri
miseba ya fuji no
mine ni magaete
I can bear no more:
Into the heavens of my heart
Smoke rises;
I would show her it is of Fuji’s
Peak an image!

A Servant Girl.
957

Right.
富士の嶺の煙も猶ぞ立のぼる上なき物は思ひなりけり

fuji no ne no
kemuri mo nao zo
tachinoboru
ue naki mono wa
omoi narikeri
The peak of Fuji:
Smoke yet
Rises there;
Higher than the highest is
My love.

Ietaka.
958

The Right state: we wonder about the meaning of ‘heavens of my heart’ (kokoro no sora). In reply, the Left: this is the same conception as the poem ‘into the heavens of my heart emerges the moon’. In reply, the Right: what is the point in using the smoke from Fuji as a metaphor? It seems as if the focus of the poem is the smoke. Furthermore, why have smoke rising in your heart without the smoke of passion? The Left state: the Right’s poem seems good.

In judgement: the Gentlemen of the competition seems to have sagaciously criticised the faults of the Left’s poem, but ‘I would show her it is of Fuji’s peak an image!’ (miseba ya fuji no mine ni magaete) is charming in configuration and diction. The Right’s poem, too, in the final section is elegant in configuration. However, I must make the Left the winner.

 

Love VI: 27

Left (Tie).
憂き人に思ひ消たるる身の程を知らぬは戀の煙也けり

ukibito ni
omoiketaruru
mi no hodo o
shiranu wa koi no
kemuri narikeri
From that cruel one’s
Thoughts, extinguished
I am, all
Unknowing of love’s
Embers smoking.

Lord Kanemune.
953

Right.
昔かく戀する人や富士の嶺の絶えぬ煙と燃えはじめけん

mukashi kaku
koisuru hito ya
fuji no ne no
taenu keburi to
moehajimeken
Long ago, in such
Love did folk as
The peak of Fuji
With everlasting smoke
Begin to burn?

The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
954

The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.

In judgement: the Left’s ‘cruel one’ (ukibito) and the Right’s ‘folk in love’ (koisuru hito) should tie.