The moon above the riverside.[i]
千はやぶるみたらし川の底きよみのどかに月の影はすみけり
| chihayaburu mitarashigawa no soko kiyomi nodoka ni tsuki no kage wa sumikeri | The mighty Mitarashi River has A bed so pure— Tranquil, the moon’s Light shines clear.[ii] |
625
[i] Even though it is not specified in the headnote, the poem makes it clear that Sanetomo is referring to a specific river, the Mitarashi here.
[ii] This poem shows influence from Shinkokinshū XIX: 1889, and also: Topic unknown. まこもかる淀のさは水ふかけれどそこまで月の影はすみけり makomo karu / yodo no sawamizu / fukakeredo / soko made tsuki no / kage wa sumikeri ‘Reaping wild rice / In the Yodo’s marsh-waters, / So deep, yet / Right down to the bed, the moon’s / Light is clear.’ Former Major Counsellor Masafusa (Shinkokinshū III: 229)
月さゆるみもすそ川の底きよみいづれの代にかすみはじめけん
| tsuki sayuru mimosusogawa no soko kiyomi izure no yo ni ka sumihajimeken | Chill, the moon Upon the Mimosuso River, Its bed so clear— In which age was it, That it began to be so, I wonder?[i] |
619
[i] See: Composed for a picture of the Rinji Festival at the Kamo Shrine on a folding screen prepared for the entrance of a Junior Consort to the palace in the 6th year of Bunji (1190). 月さゆるみたらし河にかげみえてこほりにすれる山あゐの袖 tsuki sayuru / mitarashigawa ni / kage miete / kōri ni sureru / yama’ai no sode ‘Chill, the moon, / Upon the Mitarashi River / Shines, seeming as / A design of ice upon / Indigo sleeves.’ Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari (Shinkokinshū XIX: 1889)
Left
ひくるればひとめのもりにぬるとりのあかつきがたになきつつぞたつ
| hi kurureba hitome no mori ni nuru tori no akatsukigata ni nakitsutsu zo tatsu | Since the setting of the sun Avoiding others’ eyes within the forest Slept a bird that At the edge of dawn Sobbing, does depart! |
22
Right
ねをあさみそこをはなるるうきくさのけさのおきにぞながれわびぬる
| ne o asami soko o hanaruru ukikusa no kesa no oki ni zo nagare wabinuru | Shallow the roots Separating from the river’s bed, Of the drifting waterweed, This morning rising, Swept away in desolation! |
23
Round Six
Left (Tie)
すみよしのまつのむらだちかぜさえてしきつのなみにやどる月かげ
| sumiyoshi no matsu no muradachi kaze saete shikitsu no nami ni yadoru tsukikage | At Sumiyoshi The pines crowd together In the chilly wind, as Upon the waves at Shikitsu Lodges moonlight. |
Lord Fujiwara no Sane’ie
Supernumerary Middle Captain of the Inner Palace Guards, Right Division
Exalted Junior Third Rank[1]
11
Right
なにはえのそこにやどれる月をみてまたすみのぼるわがこころかな
| naniwae no soko ni yadoreru tsuki o mite mata suminoboru wa ga kokoro kana | At Naniwa Bay, Lodged on the bottom, The moon fills my gaze, as Once more, clearly soars My heart! |
Lord Fujiwara no Atsuyori
Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade
Without Office[2]
12
In the Left’s poem, I can say that the configuration of ‘Upon the waves at Shikitsu / Lodges moonlight’ is pleasant. In the Right’s poem, saying ‘Lodged on the bottom, / The moon fills my gaze, as / Once more, clearly soars / My heart!’ appears to show deep thought but, while it appears that ‘Naniwa Bay’ encompasses Sumiyoshi, the conception of the topic expressing ‘over the shrine’ sounds somewhat vague. Then again, the Left’s tone is more in keeping with a poem for a poetry match, but it lacks any language particularly evocative of the topic, so the round ties.
[1] Jūsan’i-gyō ukon gonchūjō Fujiwara ason Sane’ie 従三位行右近衛権中将藤原朝臣実家
[2] San’i jūgoige Fujiwara ason Atsuyori 散位従五位上藤原朝臣敦頼
When a woman told him to throw himself into a pool.
身をすててふかきふちにも入りぬべしそこの心のしらまほしさに
| mi o sutete Fukaki Futi ni mo irinubesi soko no kokoro no siramaFosisa ni | I shall cast off all restraint, and Into a deep pool, indeed, Plunge— For at the bottom your heart’s depths I would come to know… |
Minamoto no Michinari
Left
さはみづにかはづなくなりやまぶきのうつろふいろやそこにみゆらむ
| sawamizu ni kawazu nakunari yamabuki no utsurou iro ya soko ni miyuramu | Among the marsh waters The frogs are crying; The kerria’s Fading hues—might They see them below the surface there? |
27
Right (Win)
ちりてゆくかたをだにみむはるがすみはなのあたりはたちもさらなむ
| chiriteyuku kata o dani mimu harugasumi hana no atari wa tachi mo sara namu | Scattering off If only I might see them, but The spring haze Around the blossoms is Already rising! |
28
Love on Meeting
Left (Win)
人ごころいまはかぎりになりぬればみるこそみぬにおとらざりけれ
| hitogokoro ima wa kagiri ni narinureba miru koso minu ni otorazarikere | My human heart Now has its bound Reached, so Seeing you compared to not Is no worse! |
31
Right
わかれてはのちぞかなしきにごりえのそこともしらぬありかとおもへは
| wakarete wa nochi zo kanashiki nigorie no soko to mo shiranu arika to omoeba | Parting does Later bring such sadness: A muddy inlet’s Depths leave me unknowing Of where she is, so… |
Mitsune
32
The Middle of Autumn
Left (Tie)
くもゐよりてりやまさるときよたきのそこにてもみむあきのつきかげ
| kumoi yori teri ya masaru to kiyotaki no soko nite mo mimu aki no tsukikage | From the clouds Does it shine most bright? On Kiyotaki’s Riverbed I see Autumn moonlight. |
13
Right
人しれぬねをやなくらんあきはぎのはなさくまでにしかのこゑせぬ
| hito shirenu ne o ya nakuran aki hagi no hana saku made ni shika no koe senu | That no one may know Quietly, does he cry? Until the autumn bush clover Blooms flower The stag’s bell stays silent. |
Mitsune
14