When Lord Kanesuke had been promoted from Consultant Middle Captain to Middle Counsellor, the following year he went to the banquet held by the winner of the New Year Archery and composed this when all and sundry were recounting their thoughts.
旧里のみかさの山はとほけれど声は昔のうとからぬかな
| Furusato no mikasa no yama Fa toFokeredo kowe Fa mukasi no utokaranu kana | My ancient home Upon Mikasa Mountain is Distant, yet Your voices mean those bygone days I cannot dislike! |
Lord Kanesuke
The End of Summer
Left
なくこゑはするものからに身はむなしあなおぼつかなうつせみのよや
| naku koe wa suru mono kara ni mi wa munashi ana obotsukana utsusemi no yo ya | Their voices sing And yet Their flesh is empty— O, how strange is A cicada shell world! |
Tadamine
9
Right (Win)
ほととぎすをちかへりなけうなゐこがうちたれがみのさみだれのこゑ
| hototogisu ochikaeri nake unaiko ga uchitaregami no samidare no koe | A cuckoo Calls again and again; A child’s shoulder-brushing Hair dangling down: The song of a summer shower. |
Mitsune
10
Left (Tie).
聞き馴れてきては心も慰まず聲の通ふは甲斐無かりけり
| kikinarete kite wa kokoro mo nagusamazu koe no kayou wa kai nakarikeri |
Familiar to the ear It comes, but my heart Has no consolation; The interplay of voices is Pointless, indeed. |
Lord Ari’ie
877
Right.
睦言の通はぬ中と成ぬれば聲は聞けども甲斐無かりけり
| mutsugoto no kayowanu naka to narinureba koe wa kikedomo kai nakarikeri |
Sweet words do we Exchange No more, so Even if I hear your voice, it is Pointless, indeed. |
Lord Tsune’ie
878
Left and Right both state: no faults.
In judgement: the conception of both poems ‘interplay of voices’ (koe kayou), is of the same quality.
