The Left poem’s sense is extremely charming. The Right poem’s pointless introduction of blossom scattering lacks interest and its diction is also poor. Thus, I make the Left the winner.
[i] This poem is included in Shūishū (I: 6); it was also included in the third edition of Kin’yōshū (I: 10).
[ii] This poem was subsequently included in several other collections: Kin’yōshū (first edition) (I: 14); Kin’yōshū (third edition) (I: 11); Shoku goshūishu (II: 114); and Mandaishū (II: 348).
Composed on a large number of travellers being at mountain retreat surrounded by pine trees.
まれにきて聞くだにかなし山がつの苔のいほりの庭の松風
mare ni kite kiku dani kanashi yamagatsu no koke no iori no niwa no matsukaze
Rarely do I come, but Even hearing it is so sad— In a woodcutter’s Mossy hut, The pinewinds through the garden.[i]
589
[i] See: After the death of Sada’ie’s mother, around autumn time he was staying at a temple near her grave and composed this. まれにくる夜はもかなしき松風をたえずやこけのしたにきくらん mare ni kuru / yo wa mo kanashiki / matsu kaze o / taezu ya koke no / shita ni kikuran ‘Rarely did I come / At nights now I sorrowfully / Pine trees in the wind / Unceasingly beneath the moss / I wonder will you hear it?’ Master of the Dowager Empress’ Household Office Toshinari (Shinkokinshū VIII: 796)
[i] This poem is included in Shūishū (I: 61) as an anonymous poem with the headnote ‘Among the poems from a poetry match held by the Fujitsubo Junior Consort during the reign of the Engi Emperor’, and also in Kokin rokujō (4234) with the headnote ‘Garden Cherry’.
