Icicles
つららゐてまもる岩まの関なればよをへてかたく成りまさるかな
| tsurara ite mamoru iwama no seki nareba yo o hete kataku narimasaru kana | Icicles hang Warding the space between the rocks, and Forming a barrier, so As the night goes by their hardness Grows even greater! |
Toshiyori
Composed on the conception of Lingering Cold.
衣手のうすきや冬のせきならんわが身はいとどしみこほりつつ
| koromode no usuki ya fuyu no seki naran wa ga mi wa itodo shimikōritsutsu | Do my sleeves, So scanty, winter’s Barrier gate mark? My flesh is still so Pierced with icy chills! |
Love Separated by Distant Roads 隔遠路恋
都人恋しきまでにおとせぬはなこその関をさはるにやあらん
| miyakobito koishiki made ni oto senu wa nakoso no seki o sawaru ni ya aran | My lady in the capital Is more dear than Words can tell, so Why should the Barrier at Nakoso, Close by, stand between us? |
Kanemasa
Love Separated by Distant Roads 隔遠路恋
すくせかななどいなむやの関をしもへだてて人にねをなかすらん
| sukuse kana nado inamuya no seki o shimo hedatete hito ni ne o nakasuran | It must be fate! Why is it that with even Inamuya’s Barrier gate Between them, folk Must make such cries? |
Toshiyori
Composed for a folding screen with a picture suited to a month of the year upon it.
あふさかの関のし水に影見えて今やひくらんもち月のこま
| aFusaka no seki no simidu ni kage miete ima ya Fikuran motiduki no koma | In Ausaka Barrier’s spring waters Are they reflected; Is it now they’re taken hence, The colts of Mochizuki? |
Ki no Tsurayuki
Left (Win)
主やたれ見ぬ世の色を写しをく筆のすさびにうかぶ面影
| nushi ya tare minu yo no iro o utsushioku fude no susabi ni ukabu omokage |
Who painted you? Unseen in this present world, hues, Reflected by A comforting brush, Bring her visage before me… |
Lord Sada’ie
1105
Right
水茎の跡に堰きをく瀧津瀬をまことに落とすわが涙かな
| mizukuki no ato ni sekioku taki tsu se o makoto ni otosu wa ga namida kana |
Faint brush-strokes Traces place a barrier, but A cataract in torrents Truly drops – My tears… |
Jakuren
1106
The Right state: the Left’s poem is rather casual about the person whom he loves. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults we can identify.
In judgement: the Gentlemen of the Right have stated that the Left seems somewhat blasé about the object of his affections, and this is certainly true. The Right’s poem, though, says that the poet is looking at a painting on something like a folding screen, where a waterfall is depicted, and he weeps in reality – this seems like he was simply moved by the painting. I feel that there is a stronger conception of love in seeing a painting and fondly recalling the face of one now long gone, than there is in being moved by the sight of a mountain stream.
苗代の水こさせずと恨むるは君が心や小山田の堰
| naFasiro no midu kosasezu to uramuru Fa kimi ga kokoro ya woyamada no seki |
Water to the seedlings You will not let come; I hate that – Is your heart, then, A dam between the paddies? |
Left.
逢ひ見じと思かたむる中なれやかく解けがたき下紐の関
| aimiji to omoikatamuru naka nare ya kaku tokegataki shimohimo no seki |
Never to meet Has she hardened her heart – Is that to be our bond? As hard to undo as The barrier at Shitahimo! |
Lord Suetsune
1005
Right (Win).
恋しともかくは人にも知られなんと思ふ心や文字の関守
| koishitomo kaku wa hito ni mi shirarenan to omou kokoro ya moji no sekimori |
The letters for love, should I write, would she my feelings Then understand, I Wonder? Does her heart have A barrier warden at Moji? |
The Supernumerary Master of the Empress’ Household Office
1006
The Right state: ‘hardened her heart’ (omoikatamuru) is grating on the ear. The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to indicate.
In judgement: regardless of whether the Left’s poem sounds poor or not, having both ‘hardened’ (katamuru) and ‘hard’ (kataki) is a fault. So, ‘a barrier warden at Moji’ (moji no sekimori) wins.
Left (Tie).
先の世に契らざりける身の憂さや逢坂山の君が関守
| saki no yo ni chigirazarikeru mi no usa ya ausakayama no kimi ga sekimori |
In a previous life We made no vow – Is that why all’s so cruel? On the Mount of Meeting Hill Barrier wardens stand before you! |
Lord Kanemune
1003
Right.
頼めてもまだ越えぬまは相坂の関も名こその心地こそすれ
| tanometemo mada koenu ma wa ausaka no seki mo na koso no kokochi koso sure |
However much I hope While I have yet to cross Meeting Hill’s Barrier, of Nakoso does it Just remind me! |
Ietaka
1004
The Right state: we wonder about the use of ‘Barrier wardens stand before you’ (kimi ga sekimori). The Left state: the Right’s poem lacks any faults to indicate.
In judgement: both Left and Right’s ‘Meeting Hills’ lack faults or merits. Thus, the round ties.
Left.
夜を重ね心の関のかたきかなわが音は鳥の空音ならねば
| yo o kasane kokoro no seki no kataki kana wa ga ne wa tori no sorane naraneba |
Night upon night The barriers upon your heart Stand firm, indeed! For the sounds I make are no cock’s False crow! |
Lord Ari’ie
1001
Right (Win).
人知れぬうらみにあまる浪の上を抑ふる袖や須磨の関守
| hito shirenu urami ni amaru nami no ue o osauru sode ya suma no sekimori |
She cannot know The prospect of my despair; Dashed upon the waves Are my sleeves Barrier Wardens at Suma? |
Jakuren
1002
The Right state: why specifically refer to a ‘false crow’ (sorane)? This makes it sound as if the barrier would not be opened for a real bird’s cry. In response, the Left: as there is the precedent of a barrier being opened in response to a false crow, the poem draws upon this to refer to ‘the sounds I make’ (wa ga ne) – we fail to see why this is problematic. The Left state: we find no faults in need of identification in the Right’s poem.
In judgement: it seems difficult to distinguish between ‘the sounds I make’ and the ‘false crow’ in the Left’s poem, and the Right’s ‘dashed upon the waves are my sleeves’ (osauru sode) is pleasant. Thus, the Right wins.