Session 12—Aki no uta from the Kokinshū and the Shin-Kokinshū
Topics for this session
Momiji poems from the KKS and SKKS
suffix to adjective stems: −み（−ので）
poetic word: 忍ぶ草
further practice in supplying words to poems appropriately
Poems for this session
- 16 風吹けば落つるもみぢ葉水清み、散らぬかげさへ底に見えつつ。
- 17 ふるさとは散るもみぢ葉にうづもれて、軒のしのぶに秋風ぞ吹く。
- 18 桐の葉も踏み分けがたくなりにけり。必ず人を待つとなけれど、
Details
16 風吹けば落つるもみぢ葉水清み、散らぬかげさへ底に見えつつ。
かぜ | ふけ | ば | おつる | もみぢ | は | みづ | きよみ | ちら | ぬ | かげ | さへ | そこ | に | みえ | つつ
Collection: KKS 0304 • 秋下
Author: 凡河内躬恒 (おおしこうちのみつね) flourished ca 900 and is probably the most famous poet of Ki no Tsurayuki's time, next to Tsurayuki himself. Helped compile the KKS. If interested, here's his English Wiki: Ōshikōchi no Mitsune.
Notes
- The preface of this poem says: 池のほとりにてもみぢの散るをよめる
17 ふるさとは散るもみぢ葉にうづもれて、軒のしのぶに秋風ぞ吹く。
ふるさと | は | ちる | もみぢ | は | に | うづもれ | て | のき | の | しのぶ | に | あきかぜ | ぞ | ふく
Collection: SKKS 0533 • 秋下
Author: 源俊頼 (みなもとのとしより) Toshiyori died in 1129 and is part of the generation of poets just ahead of our Shunzei, and, reportedly, Shunzei was strongly influenced by him. If interested, his English wiki is here: Minamoto no Shunrai
Notes
- The preface to this poem says: 障子の絵に、荒れたる宿に紅葉散りたるところをよめる. This helps a lot in making sense of the poem.
- Teika would later evaluated this poem, writing: 幽玄（ゆうげん）に、面影（おもかげ）かすがに、寂しき様なり
Special requests for preparing this poem
- One of my annotated books describes his poetry as 清新 and 詩情豊かだ. Can you relate either of these to the poem? And/or, can you relate this poem to anything in Teika's critical analysis, noted above?
18 桐の葉も踏み分けがたくなりにけり。必ず人を待つとなけれど、
きり | の | は | も | ふみわけ | がたく | なり | に | けり | かならず | ひと | を | まつ | と | なけれ | ど
Collection: SKKS 0544 • 秋下
Author: 式子内親王 (しきしないしんのう) (Shikishi/Shokushi Naishinnō) Princess Shikishi. Her information is at Poem 02. Poems by her on these J130 session pages: 02, 09, 15, 18, 21.
Notes
- The poem is based on these two poems,
- the first in the 和漢朗詠集（わかんろうえいしゅう） which is a collection of Japanese and Chinese poems:
あきのにはははらはずとうぢやうをたづさへて、
しづかにごとうのくわうえふをふみてゆく、
秋（あき）の庭（には）は掃（はら）はず藤杖（とうぢやう walking stick）を携（たづさ to lean on）へて、
閑（しづ）かに梧桐（ごとう, same tree）の黄葉（くわうえふ）を踏（ふ）みて行（ゆ）く、
秋庭不掃携藤杖。閑踏梧桐黄葉行。
晩秋閑居 白居易 - the second is KKS 770 (a Love, Book V poem)
わが宿は道もなきまで荒れにけりつれなき人を待つとせましに
- the first in the 和漢朗詠集（わかんろうえいしゅう） which is a collection of Japanese and Chinese poems:
Special requests for preparing this poem
- Web search (images): 桐の葉 This is really helpful, I think. Remember to give them autumn colors :-)
Poems are covered in the order presented. We may not be able to discuss all poems listed. It is likely that I will add links and preparing requests as we go along, even in the last hour before class. There is no class participation grade so all of this work is optional, but interesting, and will enhance your ability to share in the session. Poem details are given in class and not repeated. Take excellent notes. They are the basis for the test. Our course goals in order of priority: 1) above all, appreciation of the poem as a poem, 2) understanding the components of the poems (the words in their function as grammar and their history in poems), 3) details of authors and collections. Prepare with these priorities in mind.