Ancient Estates 故郷
よもぎ分けたづねぞきぬる古郷は花たちばなのかをしるべにて
| yomogi wake tazune zo kinuru furusato wa hanatachibana no ka o shirube nite | Forging through the mugwort To visit have I come To this ancient estate, with Orange blossom’s Scent as my guide… |
Daishin
Tag Archives: orange blossom
KKS II: 121
Wakan rōeishū I: 174
Kokin rokujō IV: 2258
MYS VIII: 1473
MYS XIX: 4172
In Kanpyō-Shōhō 2 [750], on the 24th day of the Third Month, it would be near to the beginning of summer in the Fourth Month, so he composed these two poems when, on the evening of the 23rd day, he suddenly thought of a cuckoo calling at dawn.
霍公鳥来鳴き響めば草取らむ花橘を宿には植ゑずて
| pototogisu kinaki toyomeba kusa toramu panatatibana wo yado ni wa uwezute |
When the cuckoo Arrives, his resounding song Sends me gathering grasses, For orange blossom Has not been planted in my grounds… |
Ōtomo no Yakamochi
Summer II: 6
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… |
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. |
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.’
Summer II: 2
Left (Tie).
脱ぎ代へし蝉の羽衣あつきまでいかになりゆく夏の日數ぞ
| nugikaeshi semi no hagoromo atsuki made ikani nariyuku natsu no hikazu zo |
Stripped off to change, A cicada-silk robe, yet Why, this heavy hotness Do I feel? As the summer days go on… |
243
Right (Tie).
橘のにほひも深し夏衣花ゆへたれかいとひそめけん
| tachibana no nioi mo fukashi natsugoromo hana yue tare ka itoisomeken |
Orange blossom Scent lies thick Upon my summer garb; For the cherry blossom’s sake Should I begin to hate it? |
244
The Right state they find themselves ‘unable to agree’ with the Left’s ‘Why, this heavy heat do I feel?’ (atsuki made ikani nariyuku), while the Left remark that ‘it is perhaps too similar to introduce a poem with “orange blossom” (tachibana) and conclude it with “cherry blossom” (hana).’
Shunzei simply asks, ‘Can the Left’s “do I feel” really be disagreeble? The Right’s “For the cherry blossom’s sake should I begin to hate it?” (hana yue tare ka itoisomeken) recollects the poem on “regret on changing clothes” by Minamoto no Shigeyuki, does it not? Furthermore, it is not implying that summer garb is necessarily fragranced by orange blossom. I question, though,the Left’s use of “heat”. The round should, therefore, tie.’
Sanekata Shū 154
On hearing that a lady had begun conversing with another person, despising a man who visited her only at lengthy intervals.
ほとゝぎす花橘の香をうとみことかたらふと聞くはまことか
| Fototogisu Fana tatibana no ka wo utomi koto kataraFu to kiku Fa makoto ka |
Does a cuckoo The orange blossoms’ Scent disregard and Sing elsewhere? I’ve heard it but, can it be true? |