Tag Archives: maidenflowers

Shiki koi sanshu uta’awase – Autumn

Autumn

Left

秋の夜の有明にみれど久堅の月のかつらはうつろはぬかな

aki no yo no
ariake ni miredo
hisakata no
tsuki no katsura wa
utsurouwanu kana
An autumn night’s
Dawn I see, yet
The eternal
Moon’s silver trees
Show no sign of fading!

13

秋萩の花咲く比の白露は下ばのためとわきて置くべし

aki hagi no
hana saku koro no
shiratsuyu wa
shitaba no tame to
wakite okubeshi
In autumn, the bush clover
Flowers bloom—just then
Silver dewdrops
For the under-leaves
Do fall, marking every one.

14

秋風はいなばもそよとふきつめりかりみる程と成りやしぬらん

akikaze wa
inaba mo soyo to
fukitsumeri
kari miru hodo to
nari ya shinuran
The autumn breeze
Seems to rustle the rice stalks
As it blows;
Seeing if ‘tis time to reap them—
Is that what it is, I wonder?

15

Right

銀河とわたる舟は花薄ほにいづるほどぞかげもみゆべき

ama no kawa
towataru fune wa
hanasusuki
ho ni izuru hodo zo
kage mo miyubeki
Across the River of Heaven
A boat goes ferrying:
When the silver grass
Ears burst into bloom,
Can its shape be seen.

16

女郎花さがの花をば色ながら秋をさかりといはれずもがな

ominaeshi
saga no hana oba
iro nagara
aki o sakari to
iwarezu mogana
Maidenflowers:
Blossoms from Saga
Reveal their hues, and
In autumn are most fine—that
Goes without saying!

17

小男鹿の朝たつ霧にうりふ山嶺の梢は色こかりけり

saoshika no
asa tatsu kiri ni
urifuyama
mine no kozue wa
iro kokarikeri
Stags
Within the rising morning mist on
Urifu Moutain, where
The treetops on the peak
Have taken darker hues.

18

Koresada Shinnō-ke uta’awase 3

音羽山秋としなれば唐錦かけたることも見ゆる紅葉か

otowayama
aki to shi nareba
karanishiki
kaketaru koto mo
miyuru momiji ka
On Otowa Mountain
When autumn comes
Cathay brocade
Is hung about –
Seem so the scarlet leaves?

5

女郎花何の心になけれども秋はさくべきこともゆゆしく

ominaeshi
nani no kokoro ni
nakeredomo
aki wa sakubeki
koto mo yuyushiku
O, maidenflowers,
Something within my heart
Is lacking, yet
That you must bloom in autumn
Is a fine thing, indeed!

6

Fubokushō XI: 4232

A poem from the Poetry Contest held in the first year of Shōtai by former emperor Uda.[1]

wominaFesi
woritoru goto ni
matumusi no
yado Fa karenu to
naku ga kanashiki
O, maidenflowers,
Each and every time I pick you,
The pine crickets, that
Their lodging should not fade away
Do cry, and that is sad, indeed.

Anonymous


[1]The headnote is mistaken, as this poem actually comes from another maidenflower contest held by Uda, the year of which is unknown.

SIS III: 161

When he had gone to Saga to dig up plants for his garden.

日暮しに見れ共あかぬ女郎花のべにや今宵旅ねしなまし

higurasi ni
miredomo akanu
wominaFesi
nobe ni ya koyoFi
tabinesinamasi
At the sunset
I see, yet cannot get my fill
Of maidenflowers, so
In the fields tonight
Should I make a traveller’s bed?

Fujiwara no Nagayoshi
藤原長能

Autumn III: 19

Left.

女郎花まだきに霜をいたゞきて盛り過ぬる氣色なる哉

ominaeshi
madaki ni shimo o
itadakite
morisuginuru
keshiki naru kana
Upon the maidenflowers
Already has frost
Fallen, so
Past their prime
They look, indeed!

Lord Suetsune.

457

Right (Win).

もみぢ葉はをのが染たるいろぞかしよそげに置ける今朝の霜かな

momijiba wa
ono ga sometaru
iro zo kashi
yosoge ni okeru
kesa no shimo kana
The autumn leaves –
‘Tis you have stained
Them with your hue!
Indifferently falling
Frost-flakes in the morning…

Nobusada.

458

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem this round. The Left wonder about the appropriateness of ‘indifferently falling’ (yosoge ni okeru).

Shunzei’s judgement: The Left saying that on ‘maidenflowers frost falling’ (ominaeshi shimo o itadaki) would put them past their prime seems pointless [sada ni oyobazaru ka]. In addition the final ‘they look, indeed’ (keshiki naru kana) seems feeble [chikara naki]. The Right’s style is intriguing [fūtei kyō arite]. I must make it the winner.

Autumn I: 25

Left (Win).

萩が枝をしがらむ鹿も荒かりし風のねたさに猶しかずけり

hagi ga eda
oshigaramu shika mo
arakarishi
kaze no netasa ni
nao shikazukeri
Bush clover branches
Tangled, are trodden by deer;
The wild
Wind’s spite
O’erthrown.

Kenshō.

349

Right.

女郎花野分の風の荒さには靡きながらも露やこぼるゝ

ominaeshi
nowaki no kaze no
arasa ni wa
nabikinagaramo
tsuyu ya koboruru
Maidenflowers,
In the gusting gales
Rage,
Trembling,
Do they let fall their drops of dew?

Lord Tsune’ie.

350

The Right wonder, ‘Whether the conception of “autumn gales” is adequately expressed by “wild winds”?’ In response, the Left say, ‘Poems on “autumn gales” are not found in previous ages. But is this not what is intended by poems such as “Wild winds have left behind”? Furthermore, on the gentlemen of the Right’s poem, as “gales” (nowaki) contain the sense of “rage” (arasa ni wa), is it not superfluous? Moreover, in the final section, the poem could refer to any blossom – not just maidenflowers.’

Shunzei states: ‘The Left’s “o’erthrown’ (nao shikazukeri) feels old-fashioned, while the prior section’s “wind’s spite” (kaze no netasa) is more modern. This produces a result akin to seeing a peasant wearing smart shoes, I feel. The Right’s “gales” letting dewdrops fall is so obvious a situation as to be pedestrian. Thus, despite the mis-match between sections in the Left’s poem, it must win.’