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Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 7

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Left.

手にならす夏の扇と思へどもたゞ秋風のすみかなりけり

te ni narasu
natsu no ōgi to
omoedomo
tada aki kaze no
sumika narikeri		 Wafting in hand
My fan in summer
And wonder if
‘Tis just here that the autumn breeze
Has found his lodging…

A Servant Girl.

253

Right (Win).

夕まぐれならす扇の風にこそかつがつ秋は立ちはじめけれ

yūmagure
narasu ōgi no
kaze ni koso
katsugatsu aki wa
tachihajimekere		 At eventide
Wafting a fan;
With the breeze
An early autumn
Rises, begun.

Nobusada.

254

The Right complain that in the Left’s poem ‘my fan in summer’ (natsu no ōgi) sounds old-fashioned, while ‘the autumn breeze has found his lodging’ (kaze no sumika) sounds modern. The Left comment, ‘The expression ‘rises begun’ (tachihajimu) seems to have little connection with fans,’ to which the Right reply, ‘It is normal to imply a relationship with autumn. There is also the example of “Lady Pan’s Fan” to build on.

Shunzei’s judgement short, and to the point, ‘The Left’s “‘Tis just here that the autumn breeze” (tada aki kaze no) is not as good as the Right’s “An early autumn” (katsugatsu aki wa) and so the latter wins.’’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 6

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Left (Win).

たち花の匂を風のさそい來て昔にかへす夜半のさ衣

tachibana no
nioi o kaze no
sasoikite
mukashi ni kaesu
yowa no sagoromo		 Orange blossom
Scent upon the breeze
Urges
Me back to times gone by,
In my night-time garb…

Lord Ari’ie.

251

Right.

軒近き花たちばなに風過てにほひをのこす蝉の羽衣

noki chikaki
hana tachibana ni
kaze sugite
nioi o nokosu
semi no hagoromo		 Close by my eaves
The orange blossom
Brushed by the breeze
Leaves its scent upon
The cicada’s gossamer garb.

Lord Takanobu.

252

The Right team have no particular criticisms to make this round. The Left, however, say that, ‘the expression “the orange blossom brushed by the breeze” (hana tachibana ni kaze sugite) sounds old-fashioned. Furthermore, “cicada’s gossamer garb” (semi no hagoromo) seems somewhat unexpected.’

Shunzei seems to agree, simply saying, ‘The Left’s “urges me back to times gone by, in my night-time garb’ (mukashi ni kaesu yowa no sagoromo) seems particularly fine. It must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer II: 4

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Left (Win).

重ねても涼しかりけり夏衣うすき袂にやどる月影

kasanetemo
suzushikarikeri
natsugoromo
usuki tamoto ni
yadoru tsukikage		 Layered on, yet
‘Tis cool, upon
My summer garb’s
Flimsy sleeves
Rests moonlight.

A Servant Girl.

247

Right.

夏衣へだつともなき袂にも猶よそにこそ風は吹きけれ

natsugoromo
hedatsu mo naki
tamoto ni mo
nao yoso ni koso
kaze wa fukikere		 My summer garb
Makes no hindrance
With its sleeves;
Far away is
The breeze a’blowing…

Ietaka.

248

Neither team can find any fault with the other’s poem this round.

Shunzei states, ‘The Left’s poem is perfectly balanced between beginning and end. Thus, it must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 14

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Left (Tie).

むかしより君と神とに引分けてけふのあふひは二葉なりけり

mukashi yori
kimi to kami to ni
hikiwakete
kyō no aoi wa
futaba narikeri		 Ever between
My Lord and the God
Has my loyalty been split;
Thus the hollyhocks, today,
Have leaves in pairs…

Kenshō.

207

Right (Tie).

昔よりいつきの宮に吹そめてけふは涼しき賀茂の河風

mukashi yori
itsuki no miya ni
fukisomete
kyō wa suzushiki
kamo no kawakaze		 Long since upon
The princess of purity
Has it begun to blow;
Today, so cool is
The breeze from Kamo River…

Nobusada.

208

The Right have no particular comments to make about the Left’s poem, but the Left complain that the Right’s, ‘does not seem that clearly connected with the Kamo Festival. Moreover, “princess of purity” (itsuki no miya) properly refers to the Princess at Ise; the Kamo Princess should be “lady of purity” (itsuki no in), should it not?’

Shunzei states, ‘Both Left and Right this round begin with a reference to the past (mukashi yori) and then continue with “my Lord and the God” (kimi to kami ni) and “the priestess of purity has it begun to blow” (itsuki no miya ni fukisomete) respectively; both are charming in form and spirit, but the gentlemen of the Left have criticised the failure to use “lady” (in). In poetry, though, how could we to use this word? Both the priestess at Ise and the priestess at Kamo are Imperial Princesses. Why, therefore, is it problematic to use the expression? Furthermore, Lord Sanekata composed a poem with the line, “Sleeping on my way to the princess of purity” (itsuki no miya no tabine ni wa), and at the Unrin Temple, in the Tale by the old man, Yotsugi, in praise of Princess Senshi it says, “although there were many princesses of purity in the world…”. This round must tie.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 12

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Left.

夏草のもとも拂はぬ故郷に露よりうへを風通ふなり

natsu kusa no
moto mo harawanu
furusato ni
tsuyu yori ue o
kaze kayounari		 The summer grasses
Are yet uncut
At this ancient home of mine;
Over the fallen dewdrops,
The sound of gusting wind…

A Servant Girl.

203

Right (Win).

夏草のなかを露けみ分くる野はわが故郷の垣根なりけり

natsu kusa no
naka o tsuyukemi
wakuru no wa
wa ga furusato no
kakine narikeri		 Within the summer grasses
Dewy depths,
Forging ‘cross the plain and
My ancient home’s
Brushwood fence appears.

Nobusada.

204

The Right team query, ‘How is it that the wind can pass “over the fallen dewdrops” (tsuyu yori ue o)?’ The Left content themselves with saying that the Right’s poem is ‘difficult to grasp’.

Shunzei, though, remarks, ‘The Left’s “over the fallen dewdrops” is a wonderfully charming expression. It is the initial “are yet uncut” (moto mo harawanu) which is extremely difficult to understand. The Right’s configuration and diction seem particularly fine [sugata kotoba yoroshiku koso haberumere], though, so it is, just, the winner.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Spring III: 20

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Left.

追風にすだく河づのもろ聲も浪も寄り來る井手の川水

oikaze ni
sudaku kawazu no
morogoe mo
nami mo yorikuru
ide no kawamizu		 Carried on the wind
The swarming frogs’
Chorus, too,
Comes with the waves
To the waters of Idé.

Lord Ari’ie.

159

Right (Win).

漕ぎすぐる舟さへとよむ心地して堀江の河づ聲しきるなり

kogisuguru
fune sae toyomu
kokochishite
horie no kawazu
koe shikirunari		 Rowed too far,
Even the boat echoes,
it does seem;
The Horie frogs
Crying all together.

The Assistant Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

160

The Right remark that as the Left’s poem contains “carried on the wind” (oikaze ni), it would have been desirable for it to also contain “boat”. The Left content themselves with saying that the reference to “frogs crying” seems “bombastic”.

Shunzei judges, ‘It is as the Right have stated with regard to “carried on the wind.” “Comes with the waves” (nami mo yorikuru) and its associated section, too, sounds impressive, but is really not so. There is logic in the criticism of the Right’s poem for “frogs crying”, but this is how the Horie frogs sound. Thus, the Right should win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Spring I: 16

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Left (Tie).

春風に池の氷や解けぬらん待たれぬ浪の花を見る哉

haru kaze ni
ike no kôri ya
tokenuran
matarenu nami no
hana o miru kana		 In the breath of spring
Will the ice upon the pond
Melt?
Unanticipated blossom touched
Waves come into view…

Lord Kanemune.

31

Right (Tie).

鶯のなみだのつらゝ聲ながらたよりにさそへ春の山水

uguisu no
namida no tsurara
koe nagara
tayori ni sasoe
haru no yama mizu		 The bush warbler’s
Tears of ice,
And song,
Issue an invitation!
To the mountain waters this springtime…

Jakuren.

32

The Right team have no comments to make about the Left’s poem this round, but the Left wonder whether the essence of the poem, of the warbler’s ‘tears of ice’ and song inviting the waters, might not be a bit much?

Shunzei remarks that the form and phrasing of the Left’s poem is ‘certainly charming’, and echoes their criticism of the Right’s poem, as having an ‘impossible essence’. He then goes on to say, ‘The Left is placidly charming; the Right’s essence must be excessive. They are equivalent and I judge this round a tie.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Spring I: 9

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Left (Win).

信樂の外山は雪も消えにしを冬を殘すや谷の夕風

shigaraki no
toyama wa yuki mo
kienishi o
fuyu o nokosu ya
tani no yūkaze		 From Shigaraki’s
Mountains, the snow
Has gone, yet
Does winter remain in
The valleys’ evening breeze?

Kenshō

17

Right.

春風は吹くと聞けども柴の屋はなをさむしろにいこそ寢られね

haru kaze wa
fuku to kikedomo
shiba no ya wa
nao samushiro ni
i koso nerarene		 The spring breeze
Blows, I hear, yet
My twig-roofed hut is
Yet chill: beneath a threadbare blanket
I cannot fall asleep.

Lord Tsune’ie

18

Shunzei states the first part of the Left’s poem is ‘elevated in tone’, but that the final line is problematic: a reference to ‘morning’ might have been better, or just to the ‘valleys’ breeze’, but this would not have fitted the syllable count. If the intention had been to add a sense of ‘darkness’ to the poem, an expression such as ‘the valleys, shadowed by the crags’ would have been better. As for the Right’s poem, the image of the ‘twig-roofed hut’ is lonely, but the overlaying of the ‘cold’ with ‘blanket’ (in the original poem ‘samushiro’ is a play-on-words with both senses) is pedestrian, and so the Left’s poem, despite its faults, is adjudged the winner.

Teika-kyō Hyakuban Jika Awase

Love 80

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Left (Tie).

須磨の海人の袖に吹こす塩風のなるとはすれど手にもたまらず

suma no ama no
sode ni fukikosu
shio kaze no
naru to wa suredo
te ni mo tamarazu		 Among the Suma fisher-folks’
Sleeves blows
The brine-filled tidewind:
Well-used to it, yet
My hand can hold it not.

159

Right (Tie).

やすらひに出でける方も白鳥の鳥羽山松のねにのみぞなく

yasurai ni
idekeru kata mo
shiratori no
tobayama matsu no
ne ni nomi zo naku		 Pained with parting and
Whence you went unknowing,
As a white dove on
Toba Mountains’ pine tree
Roots am I, constantly crying.

160