Summer II: 9

Left (Win).

夕されば扇の風を手ならして月待つ程も涼しかりけり

yū sareba
ōgi no kaze o
te narashite
tsuki matsu hodo mo
suzushikarikeri
When the evening comes,
A fan-borne breeze
Wafted by hand makes
Waiting for the moon
All the cooler…

Kenshō.

257

Right.

夏の夜の月は入ぬるなぐさめにならす扇をたとふばかりぞ

natsu no yo no
tsuki wa irinuru
nagusame ni
narasu ōgi o
tatou bakari zo
On summer nights
After moon-set
A consolation is
A wafted fan:
A simple image.

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

258

The Right state ironically, ‘“Waiting for the moon” certainly sounds hot!’, while the Left merely remark, ‘We have nothing special to mention, apart from the similarity to “When the moon is hid ‘hind rangéd mountains”.’

Shunzei judges, ‘In the Left’s poem, once the moon has come out, it would, indeed, be cool. It would be hot waiting, so there’s no reason not to compose this way. There is nothing special about the Right’s poem, apart from the resemblance to “When the moon is hid ‘hind rangéd mountains”, as has already been said. Shouldn’t we expect there to be something more? Thus, the Left’s poem is, just, the winner.’

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