Shiki no Uta

Introduction

Waka literally means a "Japanese song" which includes chouka, tanka, and a few others. The narrow sense of waka is tanka (short song) which is the poem of 31 syllables in length. Haiku, on the other hand, is the poem of 17 syllables. The oldest waka is found in the collection called "Manyoushuu" (stems from 8th century).

I have chosen four "Waka" poems from the collection called "Hyakunin Isshu" (One Poem by Each of One Hundred Poets) for my song cycle of four seasons. An MP3 file for "Nara no Ogawa" is now available.

For further information on this subject, see Kenneth Rexroth, 1955 "One Hundred Poems from the Japanese", New Directions, New York and H. H. Honda, 1956 "One Hundred Poems from One Hundred Poets In Japanese" and, see Tsuguo Andoh, 1976 "Hyakunin Isshu", Shinchou Bunko, Tokyo.

Click any image or underlined title to enlarge.

In "Haru no Hi," I have tried to evoke shafts of light and spring festivals as the poet laments the ceaseless falling of cherry blossoms. I should note that in Japan the cherry blossom viewing (hanami in Japanese) is a rite in spring and people have a drinking party on this occasion.

"Haru no Hi"
by Kino Tomonori

Spring Flowers in Reflection
"A Day in Spring"

Translation by Tomoko Yamamoto

Hisakata no
Hikari nodokeki haru no hi ni
Shizukokoronaku hana no chiruramu.

In the soft spring sunshine
Cherry blossoms fall ceaselessly
Like the busy mind.

In "Nara no Ogawa," the main theme is the cool autumn-like breeze and the flow of the stream in which people are performing a body-cleansing ritual by bathing which is called Misogi. Yet it is still summer. "Nara" in this waka is not the Nara, which is one of the former capitals in Nara Prefecture, but refers to Japanese oak trees by the stream. According to Tsuguo Ando, "Nara no Ogawa" is Mitarashi-gawa, which flows through the ground of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. Misogi is still practiced, but at Kamigamo Shrine, people walk through Chi no Wa (in Japanese) (a huge wreath made of bladygrass) as a ritual act of cleansing on June 30. I also should note that there is a wrong translation for this poem given by H. H. Honda who wrote "One Hundred Poems from One Hundred Poets" published by the Hokuseido Press. The poem does not include the word for spring, but the word, "Natsu," which means summer.

In Okuyama, I have incorporated my own thoughts of autumn, the season in which we have autumn festivals or akimatsuri. Before everything quiets down for the winter, the thoughts of autumn includes the sounds of festivals and stepping on fallen leaves as one walks in the mountains. Deer cries are sorrowful, but festival drums (matsuri daiko) are not.

"Okuyama"

by Sarumaru Dayuu

Fall Walk
Okuyama ni
Momiji fumiwake
Naku shika no koe kiku toki zo
Aki wa kanashiki

Ithaca in Winter