A poem about the provinces for the enthronement ceremony in Tenroku 1 [970]: The Izumi River.
泉河のどけき水のそこ見れば今年葉陰ぞすみまさりける
| idumigaFa nodokeki midu no soko mireba kotosi Fakage zo sumimasarikeru |
At Izumi River The peaceful waters’ Bed I see; This year the shadows of the leaves Are truly clear, indeed. |
Taira no Kanemori
平兼盛
Left (Tie).
かきくらし降りくる雨も君ならば濡るとてさらに厭はざらまし
| kakikurashi furikuru ame mo kimi naraba nuru tote sara ni itowazaramashi |
All is darkened by The falling rain, but Were that to be you, my love, I would be drenched, but It would not be unwelcome! |
Lord Kanemune.
941
Right.
ひとり寢の床にしもなど音す覧しづかたにそゝく暁の雨
| hitorine no toko ni shimo nado otosuran shizukata ni sosoku akatsuki no ame |
Sleeping solo In my bed, so why Is there the sound Of quiet dripping Dawntime rain? |
Lord Takanobu.
942
The Right state: while the Left’s poem does have a desirable sentiment, its expression is outrageous. The Left state: why, indeed, should there be a sound in the poet’s bed?
In judgement: the Left’s desirable sentiment is perfectly commonplace in poetry. The Right, with ‘dawntime rain’ (akatsuki no ame), is elegant. The poems are comparable and tie.
Left.
ひとり寢の床に吹くる秋風のまた我戀をおどろかす哉
| hitorine no toko ni fukikuru akikaze no mata wa ga koi o odorokasu kana |
Sleeping alone To my bed comes blowing The autumn wind, and Again, all my love Returns… |
Lord Kanemune.
927
Right (Win).
つてにだにとはぬ君かな吹風もまつにはことに音する物を
| tsute ni dani towanu kimi kana fuku kaze mo matsu ni wa koto ni otosuru mono o |
If only it brought a rumour Of you, who never comes! The gusting wind From the pines plucks special Sounds… |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
928
The Right state: what need is there for ‘again’ (mata) in the Left’s poem? The Left state: the Right’s poem is difficult to recite.
In judgement: the Right’s final ‘from the pines plucks special’ (matsu ni wa koto ni) is fine. It must win.
Left (Win).
見し人のねくたれ髪の面影に涙かきやる小夜の手枕
| mishi hito no nekutare kami no omokage ni namida kakiyaru sayo no tamakura |
One I once loved: Her sleep-tangled hair Comes to mind, and My tears drop upon My pillowed arm this night. |
A Servant Girl.
839
Right.
見せばやな夜床に積もる塵をのみあらましごとに拂ふ氣色を
| miseba ya na yodoko ni tsumoru chiri o nomi aramashi goto ni harau keshiki o |
Hoping to see him, From my bed the piled Dust at least, Wishing it would be, Sweeping away – that’s me! |
Nobusada.
838
Left and Right both state there are no faults to indicate.
In judgement: even though both the Left’s ‘pillowed arm this night’ (sayo no tamakura) and the Right’s ‘dusty bed’ (yodoko no chiri) are elegant, the combination of ‘my tears drop upon my pillowed arm this night’ (namida kakiyaru sayo no tamakura) is particularly moving. The Left should win.
Left (Win).
頼めぬを待ちつる宵も過果てゝつらさ閉ぢむる片敷の床
| tanomenu o machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete turasa tojimuru katashiki no toko |
He did not say he’d come, and so To waiting through the night I have put an end, Sealing my unhappiness In a single bed… |
Lord Sada’ie.
835
Right.
我戀や衛士の焚く火となりぬらん夜のみひとり燃えあかす哉
| wa ga koi ya eshi no taku hi to narinuran yoru nomi hitori moeakasu kana |
Has my love, like Conscripts’ kindled flame Become? Through the night alone Afire? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
836
The Right state: we wonder about the appropriateness of both ‘sealing’ (tojimuru) and ‘a single bed’ (katashiki no toko). The Left state: it sounds as if the ‘conscripts’ kindled flame’ (eshi no taku hi) is alone.
In judgement: the Left’s poem, beginning with ‘to waiting through the night I have put an end’ (machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete) and then continuing with ‘sealing my unhappiness’ (tsurasa tojimuru) does not sound bad, but ‘single bed’ should surely have been ‘sleeve’ (sode). The ‘conscripts kindled flame’ would certainly not have been ‘burning alone’ (hitori moyu). The Left should win, it seems.
Left.
來ぬ床は明る頼みもなき物をひまや白むと待ぞあやしき
| konu toko wa akuru tanomi mo naki mono o hima ya shiromu to matsu zo ayashiki |
An unvisited bed, Of light has No hope, but Brightening through my bedroom door Is what I am awaiting – how strange… |
Lord Kanemune.
833
Right (Win).
頼めつゝ更けゆく夜半を歎きても鳥の音をやは待あかしつる
| tanometsutsu fukeyuku yowa o nagekitemo tori no ne o ya wa matsu akashitsuru |
Time and again he’d say he’d come, and Through the deepening night I’d grieve, but Is it now for the first bird call That I have awaited the dawn? |
Lord Takanobu.
834
The Right state: ‘Unvisited bed’ (konu toko) sounds as if it is the bed doing the visiting. The Left state: we do not feel that the Right’s poem expresses its intended sense fully.
In judgement: I feel it sounds better to say that ‘through the deepening night’ (fukeyuku yowa) ‘is it now for the first bird call’ (tori no ne o ya wa) that one waits, rather than that one is in ‘an unvisited bed’ (konu toko) waiting for ‘brightening through my bedroom door’ (hima ya shiromu).