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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 I: 30

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Left (Win).

夏の夜はなるゝ清水の浮き枕むすぶ程なきうたゝ寢の夢

natsu no yo wa
naruru shimizu no
ukimakura
musubu hodo naki
utatane no yume		 On a summer night
Trickling water cools
Beside my drifting pillow;
No time to dip it
In a brief dozy dream.

Lord Sada’ie.

239

Right.

夏の夜の數にも入れじ時鳥來鳴かぬさきに明るしのゝめ

natsu no yo no
kazu ni mo ireji
hototogisu
kinakanu saki ni
akuru shinonome		 Among summer nights’
Number I’ll not count this one:
Before the cuckoo
Can come calling
Comes the dark before bright dawn.

Nobusada.

240

The Right wonder ‘whether “Trickling water beside my drifting pillow” (shimizu no ukimakura) is something that’s likely to occur?’ while the Right counter, ‘and what of “Among summer nights’ number I’ll not count this one” (natsu no yo no kazu ni mo ireji) – it seems somewhat excessive an expression.’ Shunzei states testily, ‘The gentlemen of the Right’s questioning of “drifting pillow” (ukimakura) is absurd, for has there not long been the image of pillowing on a flow? The Right’s “Among summer nights’ number I’ll not count this one”, unavoidably incurs criticism from the gentlemen of the Left. In addition, the Left’s final line is most fine. It should win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 28

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Left (Win).

夏の夜は更けゆく程やなかるらん暮るればやがて明るしのゝめ

natsu no yo wa
fukeyuku hodo ya
nakaruran
kurureba yagate
akuru shinonome		 On a summer night
Seems to grow late there’s
No time;
It falls and then
‘Tis the dark before bright dawn.

Lord Kanemune.

235

Right.

暮れぬとてたれこめたればやがて又ひまこそ白め夏の夜な夜な

kurenu tote
tare kometareba
yagate mata
hima kozo shirame
natsu no yonayona		 Night’s fallen and
I’m curtained in my bed
And then
Through the cracks comes light
Night after summer night!

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

236

The Right state that, ‘The Left’s “seems…no time” feels overly feeble.’ The Left reply that the poet is exhausted by the heat.

Shunzei says, ‘The gentlemen of the Right have criticised the Left as overly feeble, but I wonder if their own poems are always forceful? In the summer, even if it has got completely dark, there’s no need to shut oneself up in one’s curtains, as in the Right’s poem. The Left must win.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 26

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Left (Win).

みじか夜も鳥より後ぞ明やらぬ老の寢覺に物思ふ身は

mijika yo mo
tori yori nochi zo
akeyaranu
oi no nezame ni
mono’omou mi wa		 A brief space of night, and
After hearing that bird sound,
Dawn still fails to break:
Waking from sleep when old,
My head is full of gloomy thoughts…

Kenshō.

231

Right.

夏の夜はたゝく水鶏のひまなきに程なくあくる天の戸なれや

natsu no yo wa
tataku kuina no
himanaki ni
hodo naku akuru
ama no to nare ya		 Throughout the summer night
Knocking is the water rail
Without a pause, so
In moments will light
Break through Heaven’s door?

Lord Tsune’ie.

232

The Right state, ‘Starting with simply “a brief space of night” (mijika yo mo) seems unsatisfying. In addition, something seems lacking from “after hearing that bird” (tori yori nochi).’ The Left reply, ‘We can cite the examples of “While a brief space of night breaks” (mizika yo no Fukeyuku mama ni) and “calling in the Fifth Month’s brief space of night” (naku ya satuki no mizika yo) both of which are known to be superlative poems. There is nothing particular to remark upon in the Right’s poem.’

Shunzei comments, ‘I, too, know well the feeling of waking from sleep when old. The Left’s poem is superior to the Right’s.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 25

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Left (Tie).

つくづくと幾代のことか思はまし晝に變らぬ夏の夜ならば

tsukuzuku to
ikuyo no koto ka
omowamashi
hiru ni kawaranu
natsu no yo naraba		 On and on,
About times long gone
Would I ponder, if
Last as long as daylight
Did the summer nights…

Lord Suetsune.

229

Right (Tie).

時鳥鳴く一聲に明くる夜も待つには秋の心地こそすれ

hototogisu
naku hito koe ni
akuru yo mo
matsu ni wa aki no
kokochi koso sure		 The cuckoo’s
Single call
Brings the dawn to night;
Awaiting it, as autumn
It does seem!

Lord Takanobu.

230

The Right state that, ‘We do not feel that that one spends a summer night dwelling constantly on the past, as is the case in autumn.’ In reply, the Left say, ‘Why not? Summer days are certainly long enough, so why would one not continue to do so? As for your poem, if it is the cuckoo doing the waiting, it would seem that the poem is on the theme of cuckoos, and it fails to seem like one on the topic of summer nights.’

Shunzei simply comments tersely, ‘The defects of both poems this round have been adequately comprehended. A tie.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 11

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Left (Tie).

夏山の草葉のたけぞ知られぬる春見し小松人し引かずは

natsuyama no
kusaba no take zo
shirarenuru
haru mishi komatsu
hito hikazu wa		 Summer in the mountains, and
The grasses reach so high, that
Had they but known
In springtime, on the glimpsed pine-seedlings
Folk would have laid no hand…

Lord Sada’ie.

201

Right (Tie).

道もなき夏野の草の庵かな花にけがるゝ庭と見しまに

michi mo naki
natsuno no kusa no
iori kana
hana ni kegaruru
niwa to mishi ma ni		 Within a trackless
Summer field does my grass
Hut stand now;
While on fallen blossom staining
My garden did I rest my gaze…

Jakuren.

202

The Right wonder, ‘Whether summer greenery recalls the mountains as much as it does the plains? The overall point of the poem seems difficult to grasp.’ The Left have no particular comments to make.

Shunzei states, ‘The gentlemen of the Right have already questioned the suitability of greenery in relation to mountains rather than the plains. In addition, what is one to make of blossom falling round a hut, as opposed to a mountain lodge. If the topic was “Field Lodges”, then there are some autumn blooms, but cherry and plum blossom, and the like, fail to fall that much on the plains. Thus, I would agree with the Right’s comments on the Left’s poem. The Right’s poem, though, lacks logic. The round must be a tie.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 10

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Left.

夏來てぞ野中の庵は荒れまさる窓とぢてけり軒の下草

natsu kite zo
nonaka no io wa
aremasaru
mado tojitekeri
noki no shitagusa		 Summer has come, and
Out upon the plains, the hut
Has gone to ruin –
Windows sealed by
Grasses growing ‘neath the eaves.

Lord Ari’ie.

199

Right (Win).

わが宿のよもぎが庭は深し誰分けよとか打ちも拂はん

wa ga yado no
yomogi ga niwa wa
fukashi dare
wakeyo to ka
uchi mo harawan		 My dwelling’s
Garden is all overgrown
Deep as deep can be, but
With no-one to force a passage through
I’ll not sweep it back!

Lord Takanobu.

200

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem. The Left, though, wonder, ‘What is the meaning of “sweep” (uchiharau) in relation to a garden?’

Shunzei comments: ‘The poems of both Left and Right are superb in configuration and diction [sugata kotoba yū ni haberi]. However, the Left, by saying “gone to ruin” (aremasaru) about a hut on the plains, gives the impression it is talking about the beginning of winter, just after the end of autumn. Furthermore, the poem also gives the impression of being composed on the topic of “Field Lodges” (notei). As for the Right, it is certainly possible to sweep away an overgrown garden, as well as the dust from one’s bed, so I see no problems with this usage. Saying “summer’s deep” is by no means unpleasant. The Right wins.”

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 9

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Left.

夏草の野嶋が崎の朝霧を分てぞ來つる萩の葉の摺り

natsukusa no
nojima ga saki no
asagiri o
wakete zo kitsuru
hagi no ha no suri		 Summer grass grows high
On Nojima Point;
Through the morning mists
Have I come forging,
Robes patterned with bush-clover leaves.

Kenshō.

197

Right (Win).

茂き野と夏もなりゆく深草の里はうづらの鳴かぬばかりぞ

shigekino to
natsu mo nariyuku
fukakusa no
sato wa uzura no
nakanu bakari zo		 Ever thicker grow the grasses and
With the summer’s passing, too,
At Fukakusa – deep within the greenery –
The quails
Let out not a cry – that’s all…

Ietaka.

198

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem. The Left, however, say, ‘Using “summer’s passing, too” (natsu mo) appears to suggest a foundation upon something definite. What is it, however?’ The Right reply, ‘As the source poem is “A quail I shall become and cry” (udura to narite nakiworan), the impression given is of Autumn. Thus, “summer’s passing, too”.’

Shunzei judges, ‘The Left’s poem has as its final line, “Robes patterned with bush-clover leaves” (hagi no ha no suri), and before it, where one would expect to find the reason why the poet is forging across Nojima Point, is only “summer grass” (natsukusa no). This is repetitive. The Right’s poem, though, commencing with “ever thicker grasses” (shigeki no) is particularly fine in terms of configuration [sugata yoroshiki ni nitari]. Thus, it is the winner, this round.’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 8

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Left (Win).

誰か行く夏野の草の葉末よりほのかに見ゆる三嶋菅笠

tare ka yuku
natsuno no kusa no
hazue yori
honoka ni miyuru
mishima sugagasa		 Who is that a’coming?
Above the summer plains’ grass
Tips
Distantly appears
A Mishima sedge-hat!

Lord Suetsune.

195

Right.

夏草にの飼ひの駒もかくろへていばゆる聲ぞ人に知らるゝ

natsukusa ni
no kai no koma mo
kakuroete
ibayuru koe zo
hito ni shiraruru		 Among the summer grasses
The herded horses, too,
Are hidden;
Whinnying neighs
Are what let folk know!

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

196

Neither team has any comments to make about the other’s poem this round.

Shunzei remarks, ‘While the Left’s poem is certainly affecting, might it not be the case that simply “someone” (tare ka yuku) seen at a distance wearing a Mishima sedge-hat is insufficiently moving? However, the conception of the Right’s poem is not that surprising [kokoro wa mezurashikaranedo], and the expression [kotoba] “are hidden” (kakuroete) is certainly inappropriate [yoroshiki kotoba ni arazarubeshi]. “Sedge-hat” should win, should it not!’

Poetry Competition in Six Hundred Rounds

Summer I: 7

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Left (Win).

旅人や夏野の草を分けくらん菅の小笠の見え隱れする

tabibito ya
natsuno no kusa o
wakekuran
suge no ogasa no
miekakuresuru		 Does a traveller
Through the grasses on the summer plains
Come forging?
A woven hat of sedge
Revealed and then concealed…

Lord Kanemune.

193

Right.

夏草の茂みを行ば何となく露分け衣袖ぞ濡れける

natsu kusa no
shigemi o yukeba
nani to naku
tsuyu wake koromo
sode zo nurekeru		 Through the summer grass’
Lush growth a’going
Somehow
My robe’s dew breaking
Sleeves are drenched.

Lord Tsune’ie.

194

The Right have no criticisms to make of the Left’s poem, but the Left remark that, ‘the phrase “somehow” (nani to naku) is obscure and discordant.’

Shunzei comments, ‘While the style [fūtei] of the Left’s poem is somewhat lacking, it otherwise has no faults. The Right’s “robe’s dew breaking” (tsuyu wake koromo) is superb, but as a whole the expression in the poem is insufficient. The Left wins.’