hodo mo naku chirinamu mono o sakurabana kokora hisasa mo matasetsuru kana
Before a moment’s gone Seem to scatter The cherry blossoms, after Everyone forever Having made to wait!
Ise 8
The Left only shows affection for the past year, and lacks a conception of the current one—a loss.
[i] Suekata 季方.The identity of this poet is unclear. Hagitani (1963, 174) suggests he could have been the son of any one of a number of nobles: Prince Koga 興我王 (dates unknown); Fujiwara no Toshiyuki 藤原敏行 (?-901/07); Fujiwara no Sugane 藤原菅根 (856-908); or the younger brother of Taira no Atsuyuki 平篤行 (?-910).
Only the date of this contest remains, along with two of its poems. Given the season, it would clearly have been an autumn-themed event and, as the 15th day of the Eighth Month was when conventionally the moon was at its brightest, it is not surprising that it seems to have been held at night, and contained at least some poems where the moon was a theme.
Of the two surviving poems, one was included in Fubokushō (XIV: 5840), while the other is only recorded here.
いそのかみふるのやしろにはふくずもあきにしなれば色かはりけり
isonokami Furu no yasiro ni haFu kuzu mo aki ni shi nareba iro kaFarikeri
In Isonokami At the ancient shrine of Furu Even the creeping kudzu vine When the autumn comes Does change its hues.
1
Right
山のはももみぢてちりぬ月影のかくるるところなくなりぬべし
yama no Fa mo momidite tirinu tukikage no kakururu tokoro nakunarinubesi
Along the mountains’ edge Scarlet leaves have scattered In the moonlight A place concealed Is there none, at all.