Composed and sent to Master of the Right Capital Office Akisuke when he was Governor of Ōmi, to remark on his travelling to a distant district.
おもひかねそなたの空をながむればただ山のはにかかるしら雲
| omoFikane sonata no sora wo nagamureba tada yama no Fa ni kakaru sirakumo | Unbearable is my heart’s pain— Upon the distant skies I gaze, but Simply upon the mountains’ edge Cling clouds of white.[i] |
The Former Chancellor and Palace Minister
[i] An allusive variation on Rinkashū 205.
An ancient estate at the beginning of spring.
朝がすみたてるをみればみづのえのよしのの宮に春はきにけり
| asagasumi tateru o mireba mizu no e no yoshino no miya ni haru wa kinikeri | When the morning haze Rising I do see By the water’s edge At the palace of Yoshino Spring has come! |
Left
ひとこふとはかなきしにをわれやせんみのあらばこそのちもあひみめ
| hito kou to hakanaki shini o ware ya sen mi no araba koso nochi mo aimime | Loving her was Brief, so is die What I should do? If I live on then I might meet her later! |
64
Right
ゆふさればやまのはにいづるつきくさのうつしごころはきみにそめてき
| yū sareba yama no ha ni izuru tsukikusa no utsushigokoro wa kimi ni someteki | When the evening comes From the mountains’ edge emerges Moongrass—just as My loving heart has Been dyed by you. |
65
Wisteria
Left (Win)
おくつゆのひかりてたまぞみえまがふちのはながらにきえずもあらなむ
| oku tsuyu no hikarite tama zo miemagau chi no ha nagara ni kiezu mo aranamu | The fallen dewdrops Shine like gems Within my sight; From the budding leaves I would they vanished not! |
21
Right
あまつそらてりみくもりみゆくつきのふちのはなどはさやけかるらん
| ama tsu sora terimi kumorimi yuku tsuki no fuchi no ha nado wa sayakekaruran | Through the heaven-bound skies Shining, then clouding, Goes the moon, so Why, by this deep pool’s edge Should it show so clear? |
Fukayabu
22
A spring poem, from when he composed a fifty-poem sequence at the residence of Cloistered Prince Shukaku.
山のはもそらもひとつに見ゆるかなこれやかすめるはるのあけぼの
| yama no ha mo sora mo hitotsu ni miyuru kana kore ya kasumeru haru no akebono | The mountains’ edge and The sky, too, as one Do seem! This is the hazy Dawn in springtime! |
Minamoto no Moromitsu
源師光
When she had been living with Prince Motonaga for some time, as an amusement the Prince tied up a box with something in it with his under-belt and, saying he would be back for it, left it lying about somewhere; after he had gone out, she was abducted and hidden away by Prince Tsune’akira, and it was only after many days and months had gone by that she returned to her former house, and sent the box, with this to Prince Motonaga.
あけてだに何にかは見む水の江の浦島の子を思ひやりつつ
| akete dani nani ni ka Fa mimu mizu no e no urasima no ko wo omoFiyaritutu |
Even should I open it What is it that I might see? By the waters’ edge The lad from Urashima Is ever in my thoughts… |
Nakatsukasa
中務
Left.
いかでなを戀しき人を山の端に待ち出で見る月と思はん
| ikade nao koshiki hito o yama no ha ni machi’ide miru tsuki to omowan |
Somehow Awaiting the one I love is From the mountains’ edge Awaiting a glimpse Of the emerging moon, I feel… |
Lord Kanemune.
903
Right (Win).
雨降れとわびてもいかが秋の夜の月ゆへならで人を待べき
| ame fure to wabite mo ikaga aki no yo no tsuki yue narade hito o matsubeki |
Let the rain fall! For what is my sorrow? On this autumn night If there were no moon Would I await his coming? |
Jakuren.
904
The Right state: the Left’s poem lacks any deep meaning. The Left state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: this round I will leave comment to the Gentlemen of both teams, and so make the Right the winner.