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The 6th Hoshi-to-Mori International Tanka Contest,
Comments on the Japanese Field.

I am Hojo Nakajima. From this time on,
I officially assume the judge of the Japanese Field
of the Hoshi-to-Mori International Tanka Contest.

　The Hoshi-to-Mori International Tanka Contest observes the 6th party this year having started in the 11th year of Heisei (1999). Every time, the application of tanka increased in number little by little. It increased to nearly 1,000 last year, and it has come to 3,000 at a stroke this year. The level of the tanka has gradually been elevated, but of course it cannot be raised 3 times at a stretch. I am pleased to know that the application has reached 3,000 in number this time.

　The theme of this year is "The Bird", which is one of the traditional themes, what we call "Flower, Bird, Wind and the Moon." A bird is familiar with our daily life, but from ancient times its image in flight has been the symbol of the Being freely transcending time and space. Among others the cries of swan and crane have been held in reverence as the thing that brings mysterious strength to this world from the other one. This is not a mere rhetoric in poetry. I had been waiting, with great pleasure, for the contemporary poets how they would image and sing the figures and the calls of these birds which had been occurring to the Japanese mind since the ancient times.

UKIKUSA-NI
SOBOFURU-AME-NO
PANTANARU
MIZUDORI-NO-KOE
URUMITE-KURURU
In the first place, tanka composed by Mr. Takeo Sawa, Sao Paulo State, Brazil,
selected as the 2nd place, Hoshi-to-Mori Supplementary Prize.
(the gist : The rain falls gently on the floating weeds in the Pantanal.
The cries of water birds are getting dimmed and the sun sets.)

　The scene sung in this tanka is considered to be one which has been continuously seen in the Pantanal, the largest marsh and lake zone in Brazil since the ancient times. At the beginning, it was a foreign scene for Mr. Sawa as an emigrant, but it became the original scene in his mind for the long time being. His satisfying and relaxed state of mind seems to travel. The labor and the sorrows which the composer might have experienced in the new world have vaporized and his long and deep admiration now from the vast and far away damped field seems to reach us in the cries of the water birds. As we informed Mr. Takeo Sawa of his winning the prize, we found him having passed away in this May. His tanka on the water bird in the Pantanal recited here today, mysteriously became Mr. Sawa's "Swan Song". I would like, with you together, to pray sincerely for the repose of Mr. Sawa.

ISYO-WO-KAKU
TOKKOUHEI-NO
YA-NO-NOKI-NI
TSUBAME-HA-HINA-WO
HAGUKUMITE-ITSU
Next, tanka composed by Mr.Kazuo Fukatsu, Gunma Prefecture,
selected as the 1st place, Hoshi-to-Mori Supplementary Prize.
(the gist : At the eaves of the barracks, where a special attack soldier writes his will,
swallows are bringing up their chicks.)

　There is a world that opens only to those who are ready for death and have accepted their destinies. It is one of the strongest and the most serious motives in poetry, music and painting, etc, both ancient and modern. Mr.Fukatsu sings the time plainly "swallows are bringing up their chicks". No hesitation can be found at all in his concluding lines. Judging from this, we sense that "the soldier writing his will" is the composer himself when he was a young boy of seventeen.
(the gist : The one whose life is safe and sound should put a Bear Oak twig of Mr. Heguri on his hair for his long life.)

　The heart that one is treading himself on the final journey but yet he wishes those haelthy living things happiness, reminds us of the sorrowful tale of the Prince Yamato Takeru in ancient times. It appeals very much to our Japanese view of life or death and sense of beauty, and I cannot help feeling touched deeply and strongly by it. I truly think it a forceful tanka.

BANSYOU-HA
HISUI-NO-UMI-NI
UTSURI-WORI
UTSUTSU-NI
KURA-KI
SHIRATORI-NO-KOE
Last, tanka composed by Ms. Ayako Ishida, Shiga Prefecture,
selected as the Hoshi-to-Mori Grand Prize.
(the gist : Every image is reflected on the lake of jade.
Yet a call of swan is faintly heard in reality from faraway distance.)

　Green forests and mountains, and white clouds in the blue sky above them, and every figure and image is reflected on the lake of jade. And further, it is a real scenery and a call of swan is dimly and vaguely heard from the long distance. But, this is not a tanka only describing a scenery. Some of the all things which have been experienced during the long journey of life, perhaps cannot be remembered, but yet they are all reflected on the lake of heart, and sometimes they can be heard faintly from the deep and distant place like a call of swan. Such a quiet image, occurred to the composer, has come out under the narrow balance which has been supported by the miraculous words, "faintly (heard) in reality." I consider this a full-scale tanka in which the composer demonstrates her extraordinary capability.

　In addition in the third line, there are 2 "ri" sounds as "utsuri ori", 1 "ra" sound in the 4th line as "utsutsu-ni kuraki", and 1 "ra" and "ri" sound each in the concluding line as "shiratori-no koe" totalling 5 "ra" line sounds. We should not miss the fine effect that the "ra" and "ri" sounds add deep echo to the quiet tone of this tanka.

I would like to make the above my comments on the selection.

18 July in the 16th year of Heisei (2004)
Hojo Nakajima
Judge
Translated by: Misao Okimoto

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