Gensuke Kiyohara

A poet of the mid-Heian period. He was the grandson of Fukayabu, the son of Harumitsu, and the father of Sei Shonagon. He attained the rank of Junior Fifth Rank and Higo no Kami. In 951 (Tenryaku 5), he became a member of the Sen Wakasho (Pen Poetry Office) and, as one of the five members of the Nashitsubo (Pear Pot) Society, he interpreted the Manyoshu and compiled the Gosen Wakashu (Posthumous Selection of Waka Poets). He was often called upon to compose poems for poetry contests and folding screen poems, and was active as a representative poet of his time. He is described as "an old man who calls familiar things beautiful and uses the people who laugh at him as a tool" (Konjaku Monogatarishu), a cheerful and bright man, whose poetry is witty and fluent, and who is known for his rapid recitation of poems, saying, "I compose poems at my leisure, and when I think of reciting them, I am deep in thought" (Fukurozoshi). He is one of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets, and has written the Gensukeshu, and 105 of his poems have been included in imperial anthologies such as the Shūishu.

I am holding my sleeves tight for the one I have made this promise to, but I will not cross the waves of Matsuyama at the end. [Sugitani Juro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の歌人。深養父(ふかやぶ)の孫、春光の息で、清少納言(せいしょうなごん)の父。従(じゅ)五位上、肥後守(ひごのかみ)に至る。951年（天暦5）撰(せん)和歌所寄人(よりうど)となり、梨壺(なしつぼ)の五人の一人として『万葉集』の読解を行い、『後撰(ごせん)和歌集』を撰した。歌合(うたあわせ)歌、屏風(びょうぶ)歌などを多く召され、当代の代表的歌人として活躍した。「馴(なれ)者ノ物可咲(をかし)ク云(い)ヒテ人咲(わら)ハスルヲ役ト為(す)ル翁(おきな)」（『今昔物語集』）とされて、快活明朗、歌も機知に富み流暢(りゅうちょう)で、「予(われ)ハ口ニ任セテ之(これ)ヲ詠ミ、読(よまむ)ト思フ時ハ深ク沈思ス」（『袋草紙(ふくろぞうし)』）といったという即吟型。三十六歌仙の一人で『元輔集』があり、『拾遺集』以下の勅撰集に105首入集(にっしゅう)する。

　契りきなかたみに袖(そで)をしぼりつつ末の松山波越さじとは
［杉谷寿郎］

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