From the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the reign of the Kanpyō emperor.
浦近く立つ秋霧は藻塩焼く煙とのみぞ見えわたりける
| ura tikaku tatu akigiri Fa mosiFo yaku kemuri to nomi zo miewatarikeru | Close by the bay Rising autumn mist, as Seaweed salt burning Smoke simply Appears everywere. |
Anonymous
Left
年深き入江の秋の月見ても別惜しまぬ人やかなしき
| toshi fukaki irie no aki no tsuki mitemo wakare oshimanu hito ya kanashiki | Late on in the year Above the bay one evening, Glimpsing the moon: That he cares not at their parting – Is that a source of sadness? |
A Servant Girl
1199
Right (Win)
ともすれば別を知らぬ浪の上にかきなす音をも人は問けり
| tomo sureba wakare o shiranu nami no ue ni kakinasu ne o mo hito wa toikeri | As ever, In ignorance of our parting, Upon the waves The strains I pluck Bring folk to ask me why… |
Ietaka
1200
Both Gentlemen state: the poems are based on ‘The Song of the Lute’ and have no faults to mention.
In judgement: both the Left and the Right are based on ‘The Song of the Lute’ and the Left, beginning with ‘late on in the year’ (toshi fukaki) is pleasant, but ‘that he cares not at their parting’ (wakare oshimanu) and what follows seems rather insufficient, in addition to simply seeming to recall Xunyang River and lack a conception of the poet’s own love. The Right has ‘in ignorance of our parting’ (wakare o shiranu), while ‘bring folk to ask me why’ (hito wa toikeri) also has a slight conception that the lady has not asked why either. Thus, the Right should win.
[One of] a number of poems composed on the occasion of an embassy to Silla, exchanged in sadness at parting, or noting emotions on voyage, or ancient poems which matched the location.
武庫の浦の入江の洲鳥羽ぐくもる君を離れて恋に死ぬべし
| muko no ura no irie no sudori pa kugumoru kimi wo panarete kopi ni sinubesi |
At the Bay of Muko Along the inlets seabirds Wrapped in wings – Parted from your embrace, my Lord, I shall die of love. |
Left (Win).
與謝の海の沖つ潮風浦に吹けまつなりけりと人に聞かせん
| yosa no umi no oki tsu shio kaze ura ni fuke matsunarikeri to hito ni kikasen |
By the sea at Yosa, Tidewinds on the offing, Blow across the bay! That I am waiting without end, Tell him! |
A Servant Girl
983
Right.
浪かくるさしでの磯の岩根松ねにあらはれてかはくまもなし
| nami kakuru sashide no iso no iwane matsu ne ni arawarete kawaku ma mo nashi |
Waves beat Upon the shore at Sashide, where The pine trees on the crags Roots are bared and Never dry for but a moment. |
The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office
984
The Right state: the Left’s poem lacks any faults. The Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.
In judgement: the configuration of the Left’s ‘Blow across the bay!’ (ura ni fuke) and its links with the preceding and subsequent lines, sounds charming. The Right’s poem is stylistically elegant, but the poem more closely resembles a poem on the topic of ‘Love and Pine Trees’. Thus, the Left wins.
難波江の藻に埋るる玉柏あらはれてだに人を恋はや
| naniFae no mo ni udumoruru tamakasiFa araFarete dani Fito wo koFi Fa ya |
By the bay of Naniwa Buried in the weeds A gemmed oak Appears – just so Does my love for her? |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
Left (Win).
枕にも跡にも露の玉散りてひとり起きゐる小夜の中山
| makura ni mo ato ni mo tsuyu no tama chirite hitori oki’iru sayo no naka yama |
Upon my pillow and My foot prints both, dew Drops have fallen Awakening alone in Sayo-no-Nakayama. |
A Servant Girl
889
Right.
草枕ひとりあかしの浦風にいとゞ涙ぞ落ちまさりける
| kusamakura hitori akashi no ura kaze ni itodo namida zo ochimasarikeru |
Pillowed on the grass, Alone at dawn in Akashi, The breeze from the bay Makes even more tears Fall. |
Lord Tsune’ie.
890
The Right state they have no criticisms of the Left’s poem. The Left merely say that the Right’s poem is ‘old-fashioned’.
Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s ‘dew drops’ (tsuyu no tama) falling so widely at Sayo-no-Nakayama one can surmise to be deeply expressive of the concept of travel. The Right’s Akashi Bay is a place strongly associated with the sad sound of the wind and the waves, but the final ‘makes even more fall’ (ochimasarikeru) is insufficient. Thus, the Left should win.
A poem composed on the 6th day when enjoy ing the view of the sea at Fuse.
藤波の花の盛りにかくしこそ浦漕ぎ廻つつ年に偲はめ
| pudinami no pana no sakari ni kakusi koso ura kogimitutu tosi ni sinopame |
Wisteria in waves Does bloom in profusion, Just so Into this bay let’s row And enjoy it every year! |
和歌の浦に鳴きてふりにし霜の鶴このころ見えぬ心やすめて
| waka no ura ni nakite furinishi shimo no tsuru kono koro mienu kokoro yasumete |
In Waka Bay Crying, aged Frost-covered cranes: I have not lately felt Such peace in my heart. |
Teika