Round Fifteen
Left (Win)
山たかみみだれてにほふ花桜人もすさめぬ春やへぬらん
| yama takami midarete niou hanazakura hito mo susamenu haru ya henuran | In these mountain heights The riotous glow of Blooming cherries: Is there no one to sing their praises As spring passes by?[1] |
Chikanari
29
Right
行末の山のかひより昨日みし雲もさながら桜なりけり
| yukusue no yama no kai yori kinō mishi kumo mo sanagara sakura narikeri | On my way Through mountain passes Yesterday I saw Clouds of white—all were Cherries![2] |
Ie’kiyo
30
The Right’s poem, having ‘mountain passes yesterday I saw’ sounds like it conveys the conception of Tsurayuki’s poem well, but isn’t it a bit pointless to end up with something that sounds like a Travel poem? The Left’s poem has the fine conception of the old poem which goes ‘In these mountain heights / There is no one to sing the praises of / You cherry blossoms’, so thus it must win.
[1] An allusive variation on: Topic unknown. 山たかみ人もすさめぬさくら花いたくなわびそ我みはやさむ yama takami / hito mo susamenu / sakurabana / itaku na wabi so / ware mihayasamu ‘In these mountain heights / There is no one to sing the praises of / You cherry blossoms. / Do not be aggrieved / For I will do it.’ Anonymous (KKS I: 50).
[2] An allusive variation on: When he was instructed by His Majesty to compose a poem, he composed this and presented it. 桜花さきにけらしもあしひきの山の峡よりみゆる白雲 sakurabana / sakinikerashi mo / ashihiki no / yama no kai yori / miyuru shirakumo ‘The cherry blossom / Seems to have bloomed, and from / The leg-wearying / Mountain passes / Appears white billowing clouds.’ Tsurayuki (KKS I: 59)