Left (Win).
月ぞ澄む里はまことに荒れにけり鶉の床を拂ふ秋風
tsuki zo sumu sato wa makoto ni arenikeri uzura no toko o harau aki kaze |
Clear shines the moon, dwelling O’er a house truly Gone to ruin; The quail’s bed Brushed by autumn breezes… |
347
Sada’ie’s poem alludes obliquely to a famous poetic exchange from the Kokinshū, initiated by Ariwara no Narihira.
Right.
繁き野と荒果てにける宿なれや籬の暮に鶉鳴く也
shigeki no to arehatenikeru yado nare ya magaki no kure ni uzura nakunari |
Overgrown are these fields, and Is that a deserted Dwelling? By the fence at evening time The quails are crying. |
348
Both teams concur that there are no faults at all this round.
Shunzei agrees: ‘Both poems are on the theme of now deserted dwelling places and are equally beautiful in expression, with the Right’s work reminiscent of “Fushimi at evening time”, but this implies a broad vista, and is not “the fence at evening time” too narrow? The Left’s final section is better, and wins, I think.’