Tag Archives: zithers

Autumn I: 12

Left (Win).

定め置く星合の空のしるしとて秋の調べに琴柱たつ也

sadameoku
hoshiai no sora no
shirushi tote
aki no shirabe ni
kotoji tatsu nari
Set,
The stars meet within the heavens
Signified by
The rhythms of autumn
Sounding ‘cross the zithers’ bridge.

Kenshō.

323

Right.

七夕の逢ふ夜の庭に置く琴のあたりにひくはさゝがにの糸

tanabata no
au yo no niwa ni
oku koto no
atari ni hiku wa
sasagani no ito
At Tanabata,
On the night of meeting, in the garden
Are the zithers placed;
All around for plucking are
Strands of spiders’ webs.

Jakuren.

324

The Right say, ‘“Set” (sadameoku) just does not sound very good.’ The Left: ‘ “Spiders” (sasagani no) seems to appear rather abruptly in the poem.’

Shunzei: ‘“Spiders’ webs” (sasagani no ito) would seem to be being used to evoke the playing of the zithers. Is “set” really all that bad in form? The Left’s “rhythms of autumn” (aki no shirabe) gets the victory.’

Autumn I: 9

Left (Tie).

七夕は今日貸す琴は何ならで逢ふにのみこそ心ひくらめ

tanabata wa
kyō kasu koto wa
nani narade
au ni nomi koso
kokoro hikurame
For the Weaver Maid
That this day the zithers play
Means nothing;
‘Tis her meeting, alone,
That plucks upon her heart.

Lord Ari’ie.

317

Right (Tie).

薫物の匂ひも貸しつ七夕に思ふ思を空に知れとて

takimono no
nioi mo kashitsu
tanabata ni
omou omoi o
sora ni shire tote
Incense
Scent I proffer
To the Weaver Maid;
The burning thoughts within my heart,
Let it carry to the heavens!

Lord Takanobu.

318

The Right state that ‘the expression “alone” (nomi) in Left’s poem is grating,’ while the Left have no particular criticisms of the Right.

Shunzei simply remarks, ‘The Left has a zither plucking the heart; the Right, the scent of burning incense carrying thoughts. Equally good word association. A tie.’

GSIS XV: 894

The year after her mother died, one evening when she was thinking idly following the final service, she was firmly wiping the dust from her zither, not playing it, yet from time to time a note rang out; her aunt, living in the same house, heard the zither’s notes , and sent a note over saying how sad it made her feel; she composed this in reply.

亡人は音づれもせで琴の緖をたちし月日ぞ歸りきにける

nakibito Fa
otodure mo sede
koto no wo wo
tatisi tuki Fi zo
kaFerikinikeru
She, who’s died,
Has sent no word
Yet a zither’s notes-
Broken-days gone by
Brings back.

The Mother of Major Councillor [Fujiwara no] Michitsuna