The Right state: we are unable to appreciate the Left’s poem. The Left state: as are we the Right’s poem.
In judgement: the Left’s poem would seem to be an improved example of a poem in the style of the previous round. That being said, the waves wouldn’t not come, would they? And, what is the point in addressing them so? The Right’s poem has an extremely flippant final section. The poems are comparable and should tie.
Composed when he was asked by people in the capital what the moon had been like, when he had returned there, after going to Akashi to gaze upon it, at a time when it was particularly bright.
有明の月もあかしの浦風に波ばかりこそよるとみえしか
ariake no
tuki mo akasi no
urakaze ni
nami bakari koso
yoru to miesika
The dawntime
Moon’s brightness, with Akashi’s
Beach breezes
Simply with the waves
Did seem to draw near with the night…
In the Tenryaku period, when the Ichijō Regent [Fujiwara no Koretada] was Head Chamberlain, His Majesty lost his belt to him while playing go. The games continued, and Koretada’s losses mounted, so His Majesty composed this poem to ask for the return of his belt.
白浪の打ちやかへすと待つほどに浜の真砂の数ぞ積もれる
siranami no
uti ya kaFesu to
matu Fodo ni
Fama no masago no
kazu zo tumoreru
Wondering when the whitecaps
Will return, and
While waiting
The grains of sand upon the beach
Increase in number!