Topic unknown.
跡もなきしづが家ゐの竹のかきいぬのこゑのみおくふかくして
| ato mo naki shizu ga iei no take no kaki inu no koe nomi oku fukakushite | Not a trace remains Of the peasants’ huts’ Bamboo fences, Simply a dog barking From deep within. |
His Former Majesty [Hanazono]
あきくともみどりのかへであらませばちらずぞあらましもみぢならねど
| aki ku tomo midori no kaede aramaseba chirazu zo aramashi momiji naranedo | Autumn comes, yet The maples in green Do display themselves, so I would you not scatter, For your leaves have not turned scarlet… |
65
しづはたにこひはすれどもこぬ人をまつむしのねぞあきはかなしき
| shizu wa ta ni koi wa suredomo konu hito o matsumushi no ne zo aki wa kanashiki | Peasants in the rice-fields Do fall in love, yet For a man who fails to come, I Pine crickets cries make Autumn all the more sad. |
66
Left (Tie).
秋田守る賤が庵に宿からんさても此世は過ぬべき身ぞ
| akita moru shizu ga iori ni yado karan satemo kono yo wa suginubeki mi zo |
The autumn paddies warding, A peasant’s hut – there Will I find lodging; And thus, within this world Will I be able to spend my time! |
391
Right (Tie).
深からぬ山田の庵も秋はなを心のはては見つべかりけり
| fukakaranu yamada no io mo aki wa nao kokoro no hate wa mitsubekarikeri |
Not deep at all within The mountain paddies is this hut, yet Autumn, still, My heart, to the brim, Does fill… |
392
The Right complain that the Left’s poem ‘appears to be expressing somewhat outré sentiments’. The Left state on the other hand that the Right’s poem is ‘not bad’.
Shunzei’s judgement: the type of emotional import expressed in the Left’s poem is superlative. In The Tales of Ise, after all, there is the section on ‘gathering fallen ears of rice’ – most charming! To say that this is outré suggests a deficiency of understanding. The Right’s poem, too, conveys an emotional message. I must wonder about the use of ‘Not deep at all within’ (fukakaranu), but still, the round should tie.
Left (Tie).
小雨降る葛飾早稲を刈るまゝに民の袖さへうるほひにけり
| kosame furu katsushika wase o karu mama ni tami no sode sae uruoinikeri |
Showers fall in Katsushika; early ripened rice Reaping, Even the peasants’ sleeves Are damp. |
371
Right (Tie).
小萩咲く片山陰に日晩の鳴すさびたる村雨のそら
| kohagi saku katayamakage ni higurashi no nakisu sabitaru murasame no sora |
Bush clover blooming In the mountain’s shade; The sundown cicadas Sing intermittently To the showery skies. |
372
Neither team has any criticisms to make.
Shunzei say, ‘The style and construction of both poems is superb, though the Left’s is particularly archaic in tone, and thus using mama ni in the central section is somewhat weak, is it not? Surely, “Whilst reaping” (karu nae ni) would have been a better fit! The Right’s simple conclusion of “showery skies” (murasame no sora) is particularly effective. However, the Left, too, with “even the peasants’ sleeves” (tami no sode sae) shows a fine spirit. The two poems are a match and tie.’
Left.
跡もなく今朝は野分に成にけりしどろに見えし素児が竹墻
| ato mo naku kesa wa nowaki ni narinikeri shidoro ni mieshi sugo ga takegaki |
Not a trace remains, after This morning, when the gales Came, of The jumbled sight of Peasants’ bamboo fences. |
353
Right (Win).
思やるわが心まで萎れきぬ野分する夜の花の色いろ
| omoiyaru wa ga kokoro made shiborekinu nowakisuru yoru no hana no iroiro |
Pondering, Even my heart Has faded, following A night of galing, With the blossoms’ myriad hues… |
354
The Right remark tersely that the Left’s poem is ‘just about “peasants’ bamboo fences” (sugo ga takegaki)’, while the Left reply, ‘and what about “galing” (nowakisuru)?’
Shunzei’s judgement is that ‘the Right’s poem is not bad in form [utazama wa ashikarazaru], but “Gales” must be composed about the wind blowing upon the many blooms on the plains, and to think that the wind would go so far as to cause damage to “peasants’ bamboo fences” is inappropriate. In the Right’s poem, “galing” does not seem a particular fault. By including “even my heart” (wa ga kokoro made) a link is formed between blossoms and emotions [kokoro ni aru ni nitarubeshi]. The Right’s poem has the essence of the topic [hon’i naru ya], does it not? It must win.’
Left (Tie).
稲妻の光にのみやなぐさめむ田中の里の夕闇の空
| inazuma no hikari ni nomi ya nagusamemu tanaka no sato no yūyami no sora |
Is it lightning’s Light alone, that Can console? Dwelling among the rice-fields Beneath the blackened evening sky. |
327
Right (Tie).
賤の男が山田の庵の苫を粗み漏る稲妻を友とこそ見れ
| shitsu no o ga yamada no io no toma o arami moru inazuma o tomo to koso mire |
A peasant in The mountain fields, whose hut has A rough roof of straw: The lightning dripping in Seems his single friend. |
328
As with the previous round, neither team can find fault with the other’s poem.
Shunzei, however, says, ‘The initial part of the Left’s poem is fine, indeed, but one wonders where the “dwelling among the rice fields” (tanaka no sato) is. I wonder whether nowadays poets can simply refer to a house among the rice fields. I do seem to have heard it before, but for the life of me I cannot remember where. As for the Right’s poem, this, too, has a perfectly standard beginning, but then has the expression “lightning dripping” (moru inazuma) – this seems rather new-fangled to me! Both poems are about the same.’
Left.
むぐらはふ賤が垣根も色はへて光ことなる夕顔の花
| mugurawau shizu ga kakine mo irowaete hikari kotonaru yūgao no hana |
Creeping from the matted growth The peasant’s fence Shines with the fair hues Of a special light: Moonflower blooms. |
275
Right.
たそがれにまがひて咲ける花の名をゝちかた人や問はば答へむ
| tasogare ni magaite sakeru hana no na o ochikata hito ya towaba kotaemu |
In the dusk Entangled, blooming; The flowers’ name A distant stranger Were I to ask, would he reply? |
276
The Right wonder whether the expression ‘shine with fair hues’ (irowayu) is quite proper. The Left complain that ‘in the poem “distant stranger/will I raise my voice” there is no mention of moonflowers.
Shunzei states, ‘In the Left’s poem, it might be acceptable to talk of the “fence’s hue” (kakine no iro), but “shines with the fair hues” (irowaete)is undesirable. As for the Right’s poem, the response to the “distant stranger” in the original poem contains the phrase ‘when in Spring’ (haru sareba). It is certainly not a reference to moonflowers. In Genji, the Prince sees some white blossoms, and mentions the “distant strangers”; his bodyguard hears and understands, saying, “Those are called moonflowers,” and this is no mistake, however, to refer to Genji so obliquely is poor. It does the work a disservice. Still, with the Left’s “shines with fair hues” it is difficult to determine a winner. A tie it is!”
Left (Tie).
をのづからなさけぞみゆる荒手組む賤がそともの夕顔の花
| onozukara nasake zo miyuru arate kumu shizu ga soto mo no yūgao no hana |
How natural To be moved: Twined roughly round the fence Outside a peasant’s hut, Moonflower blooms… |
273
Right (Tie).
山賤の契のほどや忍ぶらん夜をのみ待つ夕顔の花
| yamagatsu no chigiri no hodo ya shinoburan yoru o nomi matsu yūgao no hana |
Is it with the mountain man Her time is pledged So secretly? For the night alone, awaiting, The moonflower bloom. |
274
The Right state, ‘it is normal diction to say ‘roughly’ (arate) ‘hang’ (kaku). Is it possible to also use ‘twine’ (kumu)?’ In response from the Left, ‘Yes, one can.’ The Left have no criticisms to make of the Right’s poem.
Shunzei states, ‘Both poems are equally lacking in faults or merits. Whether one uses “roughly” twining or hanging, neither is particularly superlative, I think. “Her time is pledged” (chigiri no hodo ya) seems somehow lacking , too. This round must tie.’