Tag Archives: kagaribi

Summer I: 24

Left (Win).

夜川たつ五月來ぬらし瀬瀬を尋め八十伴の男も篝さすはや

yogawa tatsu
satsuki kinurashi
sese o tome
yasotomo no o mo
kagari sasu wa ya
The night fishing
Fifth Month has come, and to
Rapid after rapid go
Eighty gentlemen
Bearing fishing fires…

Kenshō.

227

Right.

鵜飼舟高瀬さし越すほどなれやむすぼゝれゆく篝火の影

ukaibune
takase sashikosu
hodo nare ya
musubōreyuku
kagaribi no kage
The cormorant boats:
O’er the risen rapids
Will they pass this time?
All in tangles are
The lights of the fishing fires…

Jakuren.

228

The Right state simply that the Left’s poem is ‘grating on the ear’, and the Left are equally blunt: ‘It is unconvincing to state that fire tangles.’

Shunzei states, ‘“Night fishing” (yogawa tatsu) seems to me to be an extremely overblown expression. And, “All in tangles are the lights of the fishing fires” (musubōreyuku kagaribi no kage) – this is, indeed, something that can be seen when crossing rapids where the water is high. The Left’s poem is certainly unmelodious, however, having such a dichotomy between the beginning and end of a poem, as in the Right’s case is, I think, insupportable. Thus, for this reason, the Left should win, I think.

Summer I: 21

Left.

をちこちにながめやかはす鵜飼舟闇を光の篝火の影

ochikochi ni
nagame ya kawasu
ukaibune
yami o hikari no
kagaribi no kage
Near and far
My gaze goes back and forth;
Cormorant boats
Light the darkness with
Fishing-fires’ glow.

Lord Sada’ie.

221

Right (Win).

鵜飼舟あはれとぞ見るものゝふの八十宇治川の夕闇の空

ukaibune
aware to zo miru
mononofu no
yaso ujigawa no
yūyami no sora
The cormorant boats
Seem so keen!
Warriors,
Eighty in all, on Uji River,
Beneath the darkening evening sky…

Nobusada.

222

The Right comment that, ‘In the Left’s poem, “light the darkness” (yami o hikari) does not seem that elegant an expression,’ while the Left can find no fault with the Right’s poem.

Shunzei agrees: ‘“Light the darkness with fishing-fires’ glow” (yami o hikari no kagaribi no kage) does not seem particularly satisfactory in sense. The Right’s “Eighty in all, on Uji River, beneath the darkening evening sky” (yaso ujigawa no yūyami no sora) is especially fine. There is no question but that it wins.’

Summer I: 20

Left.

後の世を知らせがほにも篝火のこがれて過ぐる鵜飼舟哉

nochi no yo o
shirasegao ni mo
kagaribi no
kogarete suguru
ukaibune kana
The afterlife:
Foretold by
The fishing-fires,
Ever blazing from
The cormorant boats.

Lord Ari’ie.

219

Right (Win).

ますらおが夜川に立つる篝火に深きあはれをいかで見すらん

masurao ga
yo kawa ni tatsuru
kagaribi ni
fukaki aware o
ikade misuran
Stalwart men:
Upon the night-time river
Why do the fishing-fires
Such deep sorrow
Show?

Lord Takanobu.

220

Again, neither team has any criticisms to make this round.

Shunzei states, ‘The wording after the Left’s “Foretold by the fishing-fires” (shirasegao ni mo kagaribi no) is surely somewhat unsatisfactory. The Right’s “Such deep sorrow” (fukaki aware o) appears much better. It should win.’