ひさかたの雨も降らぬか蓮葉に溜まれる水の玉に似たる見む
| hisakata no ame mo puranu ka patisuba ni tamareru midu no tama ni nitaru mimu | Is it that from the eternal Heavens, rain has long not fallen, That on the lotus leaves Water rests and Seems all the more like gemstones? |
Left (Win)
今さらにたれに心をうつうつすらむ我とすみ絵はかき絶えにけり
| ima sara ni tare ni kokoro o utsusuramu ware to sumi e wa kakitaenikeri |
Now, once again, To whom will his heart Shift? His reflection in A drawing of ink, is all that’s left Drawn, now he no longer lives with me… |
Lord Ari’ie
1107
Right
跡もなく色になり行言の葉やすみ絵ををとむる木立成らん
| ato mo naku iro ni nariyuki koto no ha ya sumi e o tomuru kodachi naruran |
No lines remain, All is turned to colour; Will his leaves of words Remain here at my home, as an ink Sketch of a grove? |
Lord Takanobu
1108
The Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults in particular. The Left state: why would you say that an ink drawing that remains ‘leaves no trace’? We would have preferred it had it been ‘colours most fair’ (iro masaru).
In judgement: both Left and Right have the conception of ‘ink drawings’ (sumie) and, when viewed together, I do not feel that they show much promise, but the Right, beginning with ‘no lines remain’ (ato mo naku) which I do not feel is in tune with the latter part of the poem, in addition, then concludes with ‘sketch of a grove’ (kodachi naruran) which is undesirable. The Left’s ‘a drawing of ink, is all that’s left’ (ware to sumi e wa) is a metaphorical expression which at least strives at charm. Thus, I must say that the Left is superior.
Left.
人心緒絶えの橋に立かへり木の葉降りしく秋の通ひ路
| hito kokoro odae no hashi ni tachikaeri ko no ha furishiku aki no kayoiji |
Our hearts On the broken bridge at Odae Do stand; Fallen leaves swept along The autumn paths back and forth… |
Lord Sada’ie.
1011
Right.
思はずに緒絶えの橋と成ぬれどなを人知れず戀わたるかな
| omowazu ni odae no hashi to narinuredo nao hito shirezu koi watarukana |
Unthinkingly To the broken bridge of Odae Have we come, yet Still, unknown to all, Might our love make a crossing? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
1012
The Gentlemen of the Right state: we wonder about the purpose of ‘fallen leaves swept along’ (ko no ha furishiku) in the Left’s poem. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian.
In judgement: Both the poems of the Left and of the Right use ‘bridge of Odae’ (odae no hashi) which is tasteful. The Left’s ‘fallen leaves swept along’ must be following Ise Monogatari. The gentlemen of the Right must surely be pretending ignorance! The poem of the Right, too, has an elegant total configuration, but ‘unknown to all’ (hito shirezu) is at odds with the emotional overtones. Thus the Left’s ‘fallen leaves swept along the autumn paths back and forth’ is better. I make it the winner.
散り積もる木の葉が下の忘れ水澄むとも見えず絶間のみして
| tiritumoru ko no Fa ga sita no wasuremidu sumu tomo miezu taema nomi site |
Scattered and drifted are The leaves from the trees, and beneath is A forgotten stream How unclear it seems, Appearing only now and then… |
Ise no Taifu (989?-1060?)
伊勢大輔
When he drew the topic of dew, when people were composing poetry on randomly selected topics at the residence of the Minister of the Left.
我ならぬ草葉もものは思ひけり袖より外におけるしらつゆ
| aFare naranu kusaba mo mono Fa omoFikeri sode yori Foka ni okeru siratuyu |
Not only I, but All the grassy leaves Are sunk in gloomy thought For in places other than my sleeves Fall silver dewdrops. |
Fujiwara no Tadakuni
藤原忠国
葉かへせぬ歎の杜は冬来れど常にもかもな常しなへなり
| Fa kaesenu nageki no mori Fa Fuyu kuredo tune ni mo kamo na tokosinaFe nari |
The leaves never turn In Nageki’s sacred groves, where Winter comes, yet It is always that They are ever unchanging. |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼
Sent to a lady at the beginning.
木葉散る山の下水埋もれて流れもやらぬ物をこそ思へ
| ko no Fa tiru yama no sitamidu udumorete nagare mo yaranu mono wo koso omoFe |
Leaves fall from the trees, and On the mountain, streams Buried Cease their flow, As all my thoughts are set on you… |
Eikaku
叡覚
Brushwood
いつとなく葉がへぬ山のしひしばに人のこころをなすよしもがな
| itsu to naku hagaenu yama no shiishiba ni hito no kokoro o nasu yoshi mogana | If only the ever Unchanging leaves on the mountain Brushwood Her heart could Somehow become! |
Minamoto no Nakazane
源仲実
Topic unknown.
鷂のと帰る山の椎柴の葉がへはすとも君はかへせじ
| hashitaka no tokaeru yama no shiishiba no hagae wa su tomo kimi wa kaeseji |
Sparrowhawks Fly back and forth on the moutain where The brushwood Changes its leaves, yet You will ever be true. |
Anonymous
Falling Leaves
はげしさのみ山おろしはてもなくていかで木のはをこきちらすらん
| hageshisa no miyamaoroshi wa te mo nakute ikade ko no ha o kokichirasuran | Wild is The wind from out the mountains: With no hands How does it the leaves from off the trees Seem to scatter all around? |
Minamoto no Toshiyori
源俊頼