New Year’s Day
冬の夜を旅の空にてあかしてや都に春の今朝は来るらむ
| fuyu no yo o tabi no sora nite akashite ya miyako ni haru no kesa wa kururamu | A winter’s night Spent under the skies a’travelling; With breaking dawn To the capital has spring Come this morning, I wonder? |
Kanemasa
東路や今朝たちくれば蟬の声高篠山にいまぞ鳴くなる
| azumaji ya kesa tachikureba semi no koe takashino yama ni ima zo nakunaru |
Upon the Eastern roads This morning I do set my foot, so Cicadas’ songs Around Takashino Mountain Now are sung! |
Fujiwara no Nakazane
桜にも枝さしかはす桃なれば空さへ今朝はさかやもひせり
| sakura ni mo eda sashikawasu momo nareba sora sae kesa wa saka yamo hiseri |
When even the cherry Branches exchanges With the peach The very skies this morning Have reproached them for it! |
Minamoto no Shunrai
誰も皆今朝は桜をうちすてて桃をたづねて過ぐすなりけり
| tare mo mina kesa wa sakura o uchiisutete momo o tazunete sugusu narikeri |
Every single one This morning does cherry Abandon and In search of peach Spend their time! |
Minamoto no Shunrai
Left.
歸りつる今朝こそあらめいかにこは干る間も知らぬ袖の氣色ぞ
| kaeritsuru kesa koso arame ika ni ko wa hiru ma mo shiranu sode no keshiki zo |
Having come home This morning, I am certain, Why is it that A daytime dry moment is a stranger To my sleeves? |
Lord Kanemune.
809
Right.
をのづから暮れ行く空を待つ程も頼むことゝは夢路成けり
| onozukara kureyuku sora o matsu hodo mo tanomu koto to wa yumeji narikeri |
While I For darkening skies Do wait, The only thing in which I can place my trust Is the path of dreams. |
Jakuren.
810
The Right state: we find no particular faults to mention. The Left state: we wonder about the appropriateness of placing one’s trust in dreams during the daytime. Was he having a nap?
In judgement: the conception of the Left’s poem is well developed from beginning to end. The Right’s poem has an elegant configuration, but it is unacceptable to have the speaker napping. However, the Left’s ‘Why is it that’ (ika ni ko wa) is unsatisfactory style. I have to say the poems are equal and tie.