Winter Poems Twenty Rounds
Left
かきくもりあられふりしけ白玉をしける庭とも人の見るがに
| kakikumori arare furishike shiratama o shikeru niwa to mo hito no miru gani | Clouds rush in Dropping scattered hailstones; Pearl Strewn, my garden I would that he would see… |
119
Right
天の河ふゆは空までこほるらし石間にたぎつ音だにもせず
| ama no kawa fuyu wa sora made kōrurashi iwama ni tagitsu oto dani mo sezu | The River of Heaven in Winter: the very skies Seem frozen, with Between the rocky crags rushing No sound at all. |
120
Left (Tie).
流れ來て岩間をくだる盃はさして誰にと見えずも有るかな
| nagarekite iwama o kudaru sakazuki wa sashite tare ni to miezu mo aru kana |
Drifting down Through the rock clefts, come The winecups, Proffered by no one, Or so it seems… |
151
Right (Tie).
岩間分け流れもやらぬさかづきは心ざせどもかひなかりけり
| iwama wake nagare mo yaranu sakaduki wa kokorozasedomo kainakarikeri |
Through the rock clefts Unable to flow are The winecups: I would offer one, yet ‘Tis no use, at all. |
152
Yet again, neither team has anything to say about the other’s poem.
Shunzei says, ‘Both Left and Right have composed on “rock cleft wine cups”, with a concept of “proffered to someone” (sashite tare ni) or “I would proffer, yet” (kokorozasedomo): these are truly identical in quality. The round must tie.’
Left.
けふといへば岩間によどむ盃を待たぬ空まで花に酔ふらん
| kyō to ieba iwama ni yodomu sakazuki o matanu sora made hana ni youran |
Talking of today, Caught in clefts between the rocks, yet The wine cups’ Not awaiting, even the skies seem Drunk on blossom. |
149
Right (Win).
花の色は入日を殘す木のもとに春も暮れゆく三日月の空
| hana no iro wa irihi o nokosu ki no moto ni haru mo kureyuki mika tsuki no sora |
The blossoms’ hues Have caught the setting sun, while Beneath the trees Springtime dusk draws on, A crescent moon within the sky. |
150
Both teams have no particular comments to make about the other’s poem.
Shunzei remarks, ‘Both poems are of similar quality, as has been mentioned by the gentlemen present, however, the Left’s poem is clearly in the spirit of “With blossom the heavens are drunk, in the season of plentiful peaches.” (A well known Chinese poem composed by Sugawara no Michzane.) But the Right’s “Springtime dusk draws on, a crescent moon” captures the light better, I think. Thus, it seems to be the winner.’