#somonka

An extremely beautiful epic poetry (Journey song) appears in the 87th paragraph of The Tale of Ise.

It seems

 that there is a person

Untie a necklace

Will they fall soon

On the narrow sleeves

ぬきみだる 人こそあるらし 白玉の まなくも散るか 袖のせばきに

This is a poem that Narihira composed when he visited a famous waterfall (famous Nunobiki Falls) in what is now Hyogo Prefecture with a group of people. There is a man above the waterfall who cuts off the string of the jeweled necklace, and the jewels fall down, but my sleeve is too narrow to catch them, and the jewels drift away in vain.

What a beautiful landscape! Compared to many poems by Japanese poets, this poetry will be one of the best.

By the way, when I was reading a book by Machi Tawara (a former high school teacher who was two years younger than me), who made a name for herself in the songbook "Salad anniversary", I came across an unexpected story. The description caught my eye. She had decided that Narihira's famous song was a piece of crap.

...She has a spectacular career, but I cannot understand her criticism of "Untie…". One thing I can think of is that her successful work "Salad anniversary" is definitely a collection of "love songs". To put it in an old fashioned way, it's a "somonka:相聞歌", and I have to admit that there are modern ideas and technical mastery in this field.

Then, what about "Kiryo no Uta:羇旅歌" = "Journey songs"? Since ancient times, I think that female poets do not have "masterpieces" in this field of singing. I can't even think of a female poet who composed such a song. For men, names such as Kakinomotono Hitomaro, Yamabe Akahito, and Otomo Tabito are easily remembered. Of course, Ariwarano Narihira. (Of course, Hitomaro and Narihira were also excellent Somonka poets.) In addition, female poets famous for Somonka including Prince Nukata, Komachi Ono, Izumi Shikibu, and Imperial Princess Noriko, I don't remember seeing a dynamic epic poetry even though I talked about their passionate love songs.

Somonka – Japanese origin: Two tankas (each trad. syllabic – 57577), usually written by two poets one responding to the other, written as two love letters. This was a solo effort. Image by StockSnap from Pixabay “Something else is alive” Ted Hughes AmbientOrion off-centrenever shines in moon's shadowin those darker months,as we too are subtly hiddeneclipsed by stars distraction.Even shadow…

It’s the Lucky Dip Saturday Mix over at MindLoveMisery’s Menagerie. Today we are to write a Somonka:

The somonka is a Japanese form. In fact, it’s basically two tankas written as two love letters to each other (one tanka per love letter). This form usually demands two authors, but it is possible to have a poet take on two personas. Click here for a refresher on the tanka.

You’ll never leave her

You laid down the rules

And I foolishly agreed

I was to never…

To never fucking leave you

But you never said you’d stay

I wanted to stay, I did

But what can I say

I let life get in my way

Let my brain control

My heart and then ran away

Love Songs - a somonka poem (with imbedded audio file) Click link to read and/or listen:

  The sun is singing love songs outside my window. The trees join in, harmonizing in the breeze. Can you hear them, where you are? — The songs you’re hearing, I whispered to the morning — sent them to you on the wings of a small blackbird — cries, of my lust and wanting. —– POETIC FORM: The somonka is a Japanese form. In fact, it’s basically two tankas written as two love letters to each other…

Mysterious child Earth as the mother figure Majestically robed In the land of kindly gods Teach me how to run wild

You call out to me I am connected to you We tour as heroes Across the plains of kindness Teaching you to ride through life

Magical talents Seem to travel beneath you For whenever we Journey onward together We gallop powerfully

Your gifts are unique I will help you discover Together…