A lot of the poem connections I wanted to expand on are just because of mutual discussions with friends. I can’t take credit these are group efforts and insight from other great analysis posts from REALLY perceptive people. I just wanted to expand my thoughts and connections on these and thats why I am making a post. @otaku-shipper has one of my favorite posts that lists all connected taichihaya poems which I reblog constantly because its the most important clear cut explanation and no one can argue with about how poetic taichihaya actually is. (Link) @the-chihayafuru-landslide @maci-brainrot @rainbowreflects @akkalafuru (only ones I can tag cause they are on tumblr) Have amazing connection and analysis posts always and I am sure something came from theirs first during this lol
Also if there’s something that seems like a “stretch” that I’ve made a connection with I don’t care lol. I thought it was significant and something I realized so it’s in there. With all that being said let me babble and try not to cry… too much.
Poem 17 chihayaburu (chiha) (Ariwara no Narihira)
unheard of
even in the legendary age
of the mighty gods
the waters of the Tatsuta River
tie-dyed in scarlet
“Chiha” is the most important poem in Chihayafuru it is the card that Chihaya claims as her’s because Arata told her that its got her name and she’s held onto that ever since. But the first time Chihaya actually takes “chiha” is her first match with Taichi.
whom can I regard
as someone who knows me?
since Takasago’s pine trees
are in no way
my friends from the past
Chihaya was listening to Tare” when Taichi first found her again in High School.
Although at first Chihaya does relate “Tare” to Arata because it’s about an old friend that is gone and she thought if she kept playing Karuta she would be able to him again. It does changes later to being related to Taichi because to Chihaya that’s Taichi’s card sentimentally. Because when she was laying on the ground listening, there he was. “tare” brought Taichi back to her, back into her life. (I’ll expand on that later down this post cause it will come back)
Also for me it also connects later to Chihaya’s words “As long as we have Karuta will see each other again” and how her feelings changed on it being enough to meet again through Karuta to not being enough at all and her own words breaking her when Taichi repeats it back to her at the end. It’s not about Karuta at that point she doesn’t want to hear those words from him. It’s about Taichi. The shift in Chihaya relating “Tare” to Taichi and the change in how she feels about her own words when it came to Taichi saying them back to her is something now I think about with one another.
though I hide it
it shows in my face
my longing
“who are you thinking of?”
people even ask me
that I was in love
such rumors soon
were bandied about,
though I believed my nascent feelings
were unknown to anyone
Kana describes Taichi’s love like these poems. (ch 44)
like a boatman
crossing Yura Straits
whose rudder cord is broken
I’ve lost my way
on the road of love
“Yura” was the last poem that was read in the 2nd year Nationals. The card that Taichi offered to the gods and staked all his good fortune into while hoping for Chihaya to wake up and see his fate… and then as if something was calling to her in her subconcious she woke up and saw him. (ch 83)
waves dashed on the rocks
by the fierce wind -
I alone am the one
who breaks
when longing for her!
“Kaze wo” gave Chihaya the words to express and convey the heartbreak she felt when Taichi left.
Even shortly after “Kaze wo” is still on Chihaya’s mind when she takes a leave of absence from the club. Sensei’s words stick with her to learn about everything. But he’s not only getting at books and knowledge he’s getting at inner learning. To learn about herself. Taichi’s leaving was a turning point it made Chihaya truly have to search for words to express how she feels. Shortly after she talks about not forgetting the feeling of the cards being pitch black thats what Taichi feels in his heartbreak and she’s learning she’s growing too
because the current is swift,
even though the rapids
blocked by a boulder
are split, in the end
they will surely join together again
“Se” was the poem Chihaya sent to Taichi on their 3rd-year regionals, a poem about asking fate for a chance to meet again.
“Chiha” comes back again when it was recited that Chihaya noticed Taichi’s arrival in their 3rd-year nationals.
The same poem also helped Taichi win against Sudo despite disassociating himself from it (ch 189)
Ok this whole sequence this whole sequence back to back are - are you seeing this?!
Hold something dear …
Don’t disappear …
And then the Chiha card…
and against Arata, despite his strong defense, leading to his first win against him (Ch 202)
as soon as it blows
autumn grasses and shrubs
whither - this must indeed be
why the mountain wind
is called “the wrecker”
“Fu” was Taichi’s second-best take against Arata, moving Chihaya to tears. It was also Chihaya’s first card she took like a real karuta player and what Taichi admired ever since. (Ch 202)
for your sake
I went into the springtime fields
to pick young greens
while on my robe-sleeves
the snow kept falling
“Kimi ga tame” described Taichi’s secret support for Chihaya in the Queen match, collecting the 7 green herbs that symbolize luck for her. Chihaya took. (Ch 219)
Su, a poem she described as “romantic” during her first realization that Taichi has always been with her, which happened after she recalled the memory of Taichi saying his feelings for her might fade away someday. Su was also the poem Taichi used to communicate with her during the Qualifier, motivating her not to give up despite having trouble with Makino-san’s reading.
