Left.
石川や瀬見の小川に齋串立て祈ぎし逢ふ瀬は神にまかせつ
| ishikawa ya semi no ogawa ni igushi tate negishi au se wa kami ni makasetsu |
In Ishikawa At Semi Stream Will I plant a prayer stake; Whether we shall meet I entrust to the gods! |
667
Right (Win).
思かねその木のもとに木綿かけて戀こそ渡れ御津川の橋
| omoikane sono ki no moto ni yū kakete koi koso watare mitsukawa no hashi |
I cannot bear this feeling, so The base of this tree I’ll garland That my love may cross The bridge over Mitsu River. |
668
Both the Left and Right state they find no particular fault with the opposing poem.
Shunzei’s judgement: the Left’s reference to prayer stakes is pretentious, but the final section ‘I entrust to the gods!’ (kami ni makasetsu) lacks resonance. The final line of the Right’s poem sounds fine [yoroshiku kikoyu]. It should win.