One hundred poems, one hundred poets. #2

The structure of classical Japanese Waka (Tanka)

5 lines/ku

31 ‘syllables’ (on)

s/l/s/l/l

Upper Kami- no-ku

shoku

は ha

る ru

す si

ぎ gi

て te

5

niku

な na

つ tsu

き ki

た ta

る ru

ら ra

し shi

7

sanku

し shi

ろ ro

た ta

え e

の no

Pivot  line kakekotoba

5

Lower Shim-no-ku

shiku

こ ko

ろ ro

も mo

ほ ho

し shi

た ta

り ri

7

kekku

あ a

ま ma

の no

か ka

ぐ gu

や ya

ま ma

7

A phrase break (kugire)  after the 1st line/ku is called a shoku-gire, after the 2nd a niku-gire, etc. This poem breaks after the 2nd and 4th = 5/7, 5/7, 7. Haru sugite natsu kitaru rashi. Shirotae no koromo hoshi-tari, Ama no Kaguyama. A common prosodic pattern of classical waka.

haru

春

spring

koromo

衣

Garments, clothing

sugite

過ぎて

passed

ama-no

天の

heavenly

natsu

夏

summer

yama

山

mountain

Kitaru-rashi

夏来たるらし

Come(s), next, coming, came + suffix –rashi (it seems)

Kaga

香具

Name of mountain

Shiro-tae

白妙

White- (tae=bark fibre cloth – a common modifier of ‘white’ (pure, dazzling)

hoshi tari

ほしたり

To dry/air

春過ぎて 夏来たるらし 白妙の 衣ほしたり 天の香具山 持統天皇

I see spring has passed and summer come, it appears: delicate white robes are being hung out to air, on heavenly Mount Yaga. Empress Jito