Spring Dawn
あづさ弓はるかにみれば山のはによこ雲わたるあけぼののそら
azusayumi haruka ni mireba yama no ha ni yokogumo wataru akebono no sora | A catalpa bow Seen in the distance: Across the mountains’ edge Trail streaks of cloud in The sky at dawn. |
Higo
Spring Dawn
あづさ弓はるかにみれば山のはによこ雲わたるあけぼののそら
azusayumi haruka ni mireba yama no ha ni yokogumo wataru akebono no sora | A catalpa bow Seen in the distance: Across the mountains’ edge Trail streaks of cloud in The sky at dawn. |
Higo
Spring Dawn
山のはのよこ雲ばかりわたりつつみどりにみゆるあけぼのの空
yama no ha no yokogumo bakari wataritsutsu midori ni miyuru akebono no sora | The mountains’ edge is Simply streaked with cloud, Ever trailing ‘cross; Verdant green does seem The sky at dawn. |
Kanemasa
Spring Dawn
いなのめは石のかけはしほのぼのもしばしやすらへまほならずとも
inanome wa ishi no kakehashi honobono mo shibashi yasurae maho narazu tomo | Aurora upon The stone span of the bridge So faintly and yet Slowly lingers, Though it lacks any flaw… |
Toshiyori
Spring Dawn
あさみどりかすめる空の明ぼのを又身にそめてたれかみるらむ
asamidori kasumeru sora no akebono o mata mi ni somete tareka miruramu | Azure The hazy skies’ Dawning, does Still give colour to my soul That someone would be watching. |
Nakazane
Spring Dawn
あまの戸をほのかにあけて弛屋の野の霞と友に立ちぞやすらふ
ama no to o honoka ni akete koya no no no kasumi to tomo ni tachi zo yasurau | The door to Heaven Opens but a bit, and On the plains at Koya In company with the misty haze Do I hesitate to rise. |
Akinaka
Spring Dawn
花盛り心も空にあくがれておきゐてぞ見る春の曙
hana sakari kokoro mo sora ni akugarete oki’ite zo miru haru no akebono |
The blossoms are profuse, and My heart to the skies Is drawn, Resting my gaze This spring dawn. |
Daishin
Spring Dawn
憂きことのまぎるる年もなけれども眺められける春の曙
uki koto no magiruru toshi mo nakeredomo nagamerarekeru haru no akebono |
With sad events Occupied this year Is not, yet, What I have gazed upon is The dawn in spring. |
Tadafusa
Left (Tie).
さやかなる秋にもまされあはれかな月影かすむ有明の空
sayakanaru aki no mo masare aware kana tsuki kage kasumu ariake no sora |
The clarity of Autumn, too, is splendid and Moving, indeed, I feel in The hazy moonlight from The daybreak sky. |
119
Right (Tie).
今はとてたのむの雁もうちわびぬ朧月夜の明ぼのゝ空
ima wa tote tanomu no kari mo uchiwabinu oborozukiyo no akebono no sora |
‘Now we must return,’ The field resting geese Lament, under the Misty moonlit Dawning sky. |
120
The Right team once again rate the Left’s poem as ‘satisfying’, while the Left say the Right’s is ‘especially satisfying. ’
Shunzei’s judgement is that ‘the Left’s “hazy moonlight from the daybreak sky” (tsuki kage kasumu ariake no sora) and the Right’s “Misty moonlit dawning sky” (oborozukiyo no akebono no sora) are both splendid. It is difficult, indeed, to decide between them. Another excellent tie.’
Left (Tie).
見ぬ夜まで思殘さぬながめより昔にかすむ春の明ぼの
minu yo made omoinokosanu nagame yori mukashi ni kasumu haru no akebono |
Invisible, in the past There is nothing to regret, Gazing, Long ago upon the hazy Springtime dawn. |
117
Right (Tie).
思ひ出でばおなじながめにかへるまで心に殘れ春のあけぼの
omoideba onaji nagame ni kaeru made kokoro ni nokore haru no akebono |
Were I to think back, Until this selfsame sight Should return, Let it in my heart remain: This springtime dawn. |
118
Both teams praise the other’s poems this round, saying they are ‘satisifying.’
Shunzei says, ‘Both poems are on ‘spring dawn’, the Left ‘long ago hazed’ (mukashi ni kasumu) and the Right ‘remaining in the heart’ (kokoro ni nokore): both are equally charming in form and sense. This is a good tie.’
Left.
霞かは花鶯にとぢられて春にこもれる宿の明ぼの
kasumi ka wa hana uguisu ni tojirarete haru ni komoreru yado no akebono |
Is this haze? No, in blossom and warbler song Am I sealed; Shut in by springtime Is my home this dawn. |
115
Right (Win).
霞立つ末の松山ほのぼのと浪にはなるゝ橫雲の空
kasumi tatsu sue no matsuyama honobono to nami ni hanaruru yokogumo no sora |
The hazes rise Around the pine-clad peak of Sué; Dimly Departing from the waves, Narrow clouds trail across the sky. |
116
The Right team have no particular remarks to make about the Left’s poem this round, but the Left state that the Right’s poem is ‘most satisfying.’
Shunzei’s judgement is: ‘The Left’s “Is this haze?” (kasumi ka wa) seems like it wants to be “Is this just haze?” (kasumi nomi ka wa). “In blossom and warbler song am I sealed” (hana uguisu ni tojirarete) and “my home this dawn” (yado no akebono) remind one of “the lofty palace of Shinsei stands behind warblers and blossom” and this is excellent. As for the Right’s poem, this is particularly moving, with its depiction of the scene “departing from the waves, narrow clouds trail across the sky” (nami ni hanaruru yokogumo no sora), recalling “the pine-clad peak of Sué” (sue no matsuyama). The poem does start with “hazes rise” (kasumi tatsu) and having “haze” (kasumi), “wave” (nami) and “cloud” (kumo) means the poem is somewhat overburdened with similar imagery. “Narrow clouds trail across the sky”, though, does make a particularly strong impression, and the Left’s poem is merely satisfying, as has been said. Thus, “my home this dawn” must lose, I think.’