Left.
夜離れせし折はあやしく覺えしをさればよ終に行方知らせぬ
| yogareseshi ori wa ayashiku oboeshi o sareba yo tsui ni yuke shirasenu |
He came not last night; At the time it was strange I thought, but Indeed, it was so, and in the end I knew not where he was… |
709
Right (Win).
忘れじと契るばかり形見にてよそになりなん事ぞ悲しき
| wasureji to chigiru bakari katami nite yoso ni narinan koto zo kanashiki |
‘I never will forget’ He promised, but that is My only keepsake; That now we will be distant Brings me only sorrow. |
The Provisional Master of the Empress Household Office
710
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the conception of parting is not clearly expressed in the Left’s poem. The Gentlemen of the Left state: it’s without thought.
Shunzei’s judgement: the Left’s poem is in a style which expresses the emotions unusually, but charmingly. The Right’s poem is exactly on topic. It can only win.