Left (Tie)
人心常は卯月の時鳥ことかたらはん聲を聞かばや
hito kokoro tsune wa uzuki no hototogisu koto kataran koe o kikaba ya |
Her heart is Ever chill; O, for the Fourth Month Cuckoo To tell me With a gentle song! |
Lord Suetsune
1047
Right
足引の遠山鳥の一聲は我つまながらめづらしき哉
ashihiki no tōyamadori no hitogoe wa ware tsumanagara mezurashiki kana |
Leg-wearying The distant mountain pheasant’s Call is Even for his mate A rare thing, indeed! |
Lord Tsune’ie
1048
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the initial part of the Right’s poem has an antiquated feel.
In judgement: the Left’s ‘cuckoo’ (hototogisu) and the Right’s ‘mountain pheasant’ (yamadori) are of the same level.