Left (Win).
篝火の影だにあらじ後の世の闇をも知らぬ鵜飼舟かな
| kagaribi no kage dani araji nochi no yo no yami o mo shiranu ukaibune kana |
Not even the fishing fires’ Light will reach The world to come Darkness all unknowing are The cormorant boats. |
223
Right.
大井川幾瀬のぼれば鵜飼舟嵐の山の明わたるらん
| ōikawa ikuse noboreba ukaibune arashi no yama no akewataruran |
Ōi River Rapids running up are The cormorant boats; To the Mount of Storms Does dawn return? |
224
The Right state merely that, ‘The Left’s poem has nothing to apologise for,’ while the Left comment, ‘stating that “dawn” (ake) returns to a mountain to the west is illogical. Moreover, in the three lines “The cormorant boats; To the Mount of Storms Does dawn return?” (ukaibune arashi no yama no akewataruran) the meanings of each line are different and fail to follow on one from the other.’
Shunzei is in general agreement: ‘The gentlemen of the Right have already allowed that the Left’s poem has nothing to apologise for. The have also stated that it is not the case that night lightens from the west, but it is certainly the case that it is possible to see the dawn light growing upon the western mountains. However, the cormorant boats’ practice is normally to run down the rapids, and saying “rapids running up” (ikuse noboreba) suggests that this is happening after they have gone down. Dawn is then exceptionally late. In any case, the Right’s poem has a number of doubtful sections, while the Left’s is without error, as has already been stated. It must win.’