Composed for the Imperial Palace Poetry Competition in the Fourth Year of Eishō [1049].
いつとなく心空なるわが戀やふじの高嶺にかゝる白雲
| itu to naku kokoro sora naru wa ga koFi ya Fuzi no takane ni kakaru sirakumo |
Before I know it In my heart, sky-bound Is my love Above the high peak of Fuji Hanging with the clouds so white? |
Sagami
相模
Remembering a man from whom she had parted long before, she sent this to him to say that her feelings had not been transient.
年ふれど憂き身はさらに変らじをつらさも同じつらさなるらん
| tosi Furedo ukimi Fa sara ni kawarazi wo turasa mo onazi turasanaruran |
The years have gone by, yet In my desolation still Am I unchanged, but Cruelty is the same As it ever was! |
Tsuchimikado Zen Sai’in Chūjō
土御門前斎院中将
Left.
空晴れて山の端出づる日影にも乾きもやらぬ袖の上かな
| sora harete yama no ha izuru hikage ni mo kawaki mo yaranu sode no ue kana |
The sky clears and From the mountains’ edge appears The sunlight, yet It cannot even dry The surface of my sleeves… |
Lord Ari’ie.
797
Right (Win).
澤に出て朝菜摘むとも覺えぬあやしきほどに濡るゝ袖哉
| sawa ni idete asana tsumu tomo oboenu ayashiki hodo ni nururu sode kana |
Going out to the marshes and Gathering greens for breakfast – I cannot recall at all; How strange it is that My sleeves are then so drenched… |
Lord Tsune’ie.
798
The Right state: we find no faults to mention in the Left’s poem. The Left state: recalling gathering greens for breakfast is something one can do in the afternoon or the evening. In addition, ‘I cannot recall’ (oboenu) is prosaic in content.
In judgement: the Left’s poem simply says that the sunlight is unable to dry one’s sleeves, and contains little conception of love. The Right’s ‘sleeves’ sound as if they have been most extraordinarily drenched, so the Right should win.
Left (Win).
いつしかと今朝遣る文の言の葉は逢嬉しさと飽かぬ恨と
| itsu shika to kesa yaru fumi no koto no ha wa au ureshisa to akanu urami to |
So swiftly On this morning, I send a letter and In its words The joy of meeting and My unending despair… |
Lord Kanemune.
795
Right.
今はたゞ戀に我身に弱りつゝ明けぬと聞けど起きぞゐられぬ
| ima wa tada koi ni wagami ni yowaritsutsu akenu to kikedo oki zo irarenu |
Now, simply With love I Am weakened; Hearing that the dawn has come I am unable to rise… |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
796
The Right state: the Left’s ‘On this morning, I send a letter and in its words’ (kesa yaru fumi no koto no ha) seems utterly plain. Simply composing on the morning after seems somewhat dubious. The Left state: we find nothing to mention in the Right’s poem.
In judgement: although the Right does convey the pathos of love, the Left’s ‘On this morning, I send a letter’ is certainly superior.
A certain man came up to the capital from the East and went to the house of woman with whom he had spoken long before; when she asked why he had come to see her in such haste, he said:
おろかにもおもはましかはあづまぢのふせやといひしのべにねなまし
| oroka ni mo omoFamasikaba adumadi no Fuseya to iFisi nobe ni nenamasi |
Heedlessly Had I thought of you On the Eastern roads, Upon Fuseya Plain would I have rather slept! |
Anonymous
Left.
今朝よりはさらば涙にまかせてん絞り逢ふべき袖の雫か
| kesa yori wa saraba namida ni makaseten shiboriaubeki sode no shizuku ka |
From this morning Should it be that my tears I will just let fall, for I cannot wring out These droplets from my sleeves… |
Lord Suetsune.
793
Right.
我ごとく人や戀しき見るまゝにやがてしぼるゝ朝顔の花
| ware gotoku hito ya koishiki miru mama ni yagate shiboruru asagao no hana |
As much as I Is there anyone in love? While watching, Soon enough languish, The morning glory blooms… |
Lord Takanobu.
794
The Right state: is saying ‘From this morning’ (kesa yori wa) suggesting that the feelings have particularly arisen this morning? In response: this is simply the style of poetry. It is commonplace to use expressions such as ‘today it is that’ (kyō wa sa wa) or ‘now it is that’ (ima wa sa wa). The Left state: the initial two lines of the Right’s poem pay no attention to style.
In judgement: the Left’s poem, commencing ‘From this morning’ (kesa yori wa) and then saying ‘Should it be that my tears’ (saraba namida ni) does not seem poor. I do wonder about the final ‘These droplets from my sleeves’ (sode no shizuku ka), though. As for the Right’s poem, I do not feel that the initial two lines lack attention to style. The entirety of both teams comments display no knowledge of poetry, and fail to identify the merits or faults of the opposing poems. I feel that both the Left and the Right poems this round are elegant. Thus, the round should tie.
Left (Win).
月やそれほのみし人の面影を偲びかへせば有明の空
| tsuki ya sore honomishi hito no omokage o shinobikaeseba ariake no sora |
Was the moon her? So briefly glimpsed, her Face I bring to mind, but simply see The dawning sky… |
A Servant Girl.
791
Right.
夜もすがら苦しき戀に晴れやらぬ心迷いや明暗の空
| yomosugara kurushiki koi ni hareyaranu kokoro mayoi ya akegure no sora |
All night long From the pains of love Have I had no relief; Does the tumult in my heart reflect The shading of the dawning sky? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
792
The Right state: we find no faults in the Left’s poem. The Left state: the initial section of the Right’s poem sounds a little clumsy.
In judgement: both the Left’s ‘dawning sky’ (ariake no sora) and the Right’s ‘shading of the dawning sky’ (akegure no sora) sound pleasant, but the Left’s conception of commencing with ‘Was the moon her?’ (tsuki ya sore) and following it with ‘I bring to mind, but simply see the dawning sky’ (shinobikaeseba ariake no sora) appears particularly profoundly appropriate for the topic. Thus, the Left must win.