Tag Archives: madder

Nishinomiya uta’awase 03

Scarlet Leaves and Daytime

Round Three

Left

朝霧のはれ行くままにもみぢ葉はあかねさしてぞ色まさりける

asagiri no
hareyuku mama ni
momijiba wa
akanesashite zo
iro masarikeru
As the morning mists
Are clearing away
The autumn leaves
Shine madder red,
Their hue the best of all.

Daishin
5

Right

月草の色どる比はかへれどもははそのもみぢこころにぞしむ

tsukikusa no
irodoru koro wa
kaeredomo
hahaso no momiji
kokoro ni zo shimu
At times the moon-grass’
Fair hues
Will shift, yet those of
The oaks in autumn
Pierce right to the heart!

His Excellency Akinaka
6

The Left poem’s sequencing isn’t bad, but ‘shining madder red’ has, since ancient times, been used of the sun in poetry, while here it is simply ‘Shine madder red, / Their hue the best of all’. It gives the impression that there is some emotion missing. In a poem for this type of poetry match, I wonder if omitting a single element like this is a grave fault? Even so, I have no recollection of a poem being composed in this manner in any poetry match which people have used for reference from days gone by. In addition, the Right’s  ‘At times the moon-grass’ / Fair hues / Will shift, yet’ and what follows shows little evidence of poetic cultivation, so in sum, it’s difficult to say anything here.

KYS VI: 351

Sent to someone who had served the empress of former Emperor Ichijō, who gone to Hyūga province.

あかねさす日にむかひても思ひいでよみやこはしのぶながめすらんと

akane sasu
Fi ni mukaFitemo
omoFi’ideyo
miyako Fa sinobu
nagame suran to
Shining madder red
Toward the sun have you made your way, but
O, remember,
To recall the capital, and
Turn your gaze that way…

Her Majesty, the Empress

SKKS VII: 748

A folk song about the village of Asahi in Ōmi Province, performed at the eastern celebration of the Great Thanksgiving Service in Chōwa 5 [1016].

あかねさす朝日のさとのひかげぐさ豊明のかざしなるべし

akane sasu
asahi no sato no
hikagegusa
toyo no akari no
kazashi narubeshi
Shining madder red
Morning sun rises over Asahi village,
Sunlight upon the ground pines, for
The banquets, ever lit,
A fine hair decoration!

Sukechika, Master of Service
祭主輔親

MYS I: 20

A poem composed by Princess Nukata when the emperor went hunting at Kamōno.

茜草指 武良前野逝 標野行 野守者不見哉 君之袖布流

あかねさす紫野行き標野行き野守は見ずや君が袖振る

akane sasu
murasakino yuki
simeno yuki
nomori pa mizu ya
kimi ga sode puru
Shining madder red,
To the violet fields you go,
To the hunting grounds you go, but
Won’t the wardens look askance?
At your waving sleeves…’

Princess Nukata