Love on Waking from Sleep 寝覚恋
わすれずと人やは夜におどろかす何とてしつるねざめなるらん
| wasurezu to hito ya wa yoru ni odorokasu nani tote shitsuru nezame naruran | I’ll not forget you – Did she say that in the night? But how surprising Was how her words pained me On waking… |
Tadafusa
Love Interrupted by a Single Night 隔一夜恋
あはでぬる一夜ばかりをへだつるになどよるごとにねのなかるらん
| awade nuru hito yo bakari o hedatsuru ni nado yoru goto ni ne no nakaruran | Sleeping without meeting, for Just this single night Between, Why is it then that every night Sleepless do I seem to be? |
Tadafusa
Left.
葛城や久米路の橋にあらねども絶えぬる中は渡る物かは
| kazuragi ya kumeji no hashi ni aranedomo taenuru naka wa wataru mono ka wa |
At Kazuragi The bridge of Kumeji It is not, yet Can a relationship that’s done Ever continue on? |
Lord Suetsune
1017
Right (Win).
葛城や渡しもはてぬ岩橋も夜の契はありとこそ聞け
| kazuragi ya watashi mo hatenu iwabashi mo yoru no chigiri wa ari to koso kike |
At Kazuragi lies The unfinished Bridge of stone: A vow at night There was, I hear! |
Ietaka
1018
Both Left and Right state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: both poems refer to ‘the bridge of Kazuragi, while the Left has ‘a relationship that’s done’ (taenuru naka). As the bridge, from the very beginning, was never finished, it is not appropriate to say that it is ‘done’. ‘A vow at night’ (yoru no chigiri) seems to be referring to Kodaigimi’s ‘cannot endure’ (taenubeshi). The Right has certainly matched the conception of the bridge. Thus, I make the Right the winner.
A poem from the Empress’ Poetry Competition held in the Kanpyō period.
住の江の岸による浪夜さへや夢の通ひ路人目よくらむ
| suminoe no kisi ni yoru nami yoru saFe ya yume no kayoFidi Fitome yokuramu |
As to Suminoe’s Shore rush the waves Why every night Upon the path of dreams Do I hide from other’s eyes? |
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
藤原敏行
数ならぬ我が身は夜の衣がはきつれば人のまづかへすらむ
| kazu naranu wa ga mi wa yoru no koromogawa kitsureba hito no mazu kaesuramu |
Numberless are The nights I’ve spent Beside the River Robe; I put it on so he Will first turn it back. |
Minamoto no Shunrai
源俊頼
On hearing the frogs .
我宿にあひ宿り宿りしてすむ蛙夜になればやものは悲しき
| wa ga yado ni aFiyadorisite sumu kaFadu yoru ni nareba ya mono Fa kanasiki |
At my home I lodge together with The frogs dwelling there; Is it that night has come That make everything so sad? |
Anonymous
Left (Win).
頼めぬを待ちつる宵も過果てゝつらさ閉ぢむる片敷の床
| tanomenu o machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete turasa tojimuru katashiki no toko |
He did not say he’d come, and so To waiting through the night I have put an end, Sealing my unhappiness In a single bed… |
Lord Sada’ie.
835
Right.
我戀や衛士の焚く火となりぬらん夜のみひとり燃えあかす哉
| wa ga koi ya eshi no taku hi to narinuran yoru nomi hitori moeakasu kana |
Has my love, like Conscripts’ kindled flame Become? Through the night alone Afire? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
836
The Right state: we wonder about the appropriateness of both ‘sealing’ (tojimuru) and ‘a single bed’ (katashiki no toko). The Left state: it sounds as if the ‘conscripts’ kindled flame’ (eshi no taku hi) is alone.
In judgement: the Left’s poem, beginning with ‘to waiting through the night I have put an end’ (machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete) and then continuing with ‘sealing my unhappiness’ (tsurasa tojimuru) does not sound bad, but ‘single bed’ should surely have been ‘sleeve’ (sode). The ‘conscripts kindled flame’ would certainly not have been ‘burning alone’ (hitori moyu). The Left should win, it seems.
Left (Win).
慰めてまどろむ程の戀ならば夜さへ物は思はざらまし
| nagusamete madoromu hodo no koi naraba yoru sae mono wa omowazaramashi |
Feeling some relief, Enough, at least, to doze: If that was my love, then Until the fall of night I would wish to avoid these gloomy thoughts. |
Lord Suetsune.
831
Right.
目に見えぬ夜こそまされ天雲のよそに成行く人のつらさは
| me ni mienu yoru koso masare amagumo no yoso ni nariyuku hito no tsurasa wa |
When all goes unseen At night, it overwhelms me: The cloudy heavens’ Distance, where he has gone So heartlessly. |
Ietaka.
832
The Right state: there are no faults to indicate. The Left state: we wonder about the suitability of the impression conveyed by ‘When all goes unseen at night’ (me ni mienu yoru) on hearing it.
In judgement: the poem of the Right, with its ‘The cloudy heavens’ distance, where he has gone’ (amagumo no yoso ni nariyuku) is elegant, but it is certain that ‘When all goes unseen’ (me ni mienu) recalls the expression from the Kokin Preface, ‘unseen gods and demons’. The Left’s poem sounds pleasantly realised from beginning to end. It should win.
君恋ふとながめくらせる夜の雨は袖にしも降る心地こそすれ
| kimi kou to nagame kuraseru yoru no ame wa sode ni shimo furu kokochi koso sure |
You say you love me But I gaze into the darkness This night when the rain Upon my sleeves especially does fall – That is what I feel! |
Minamoto no Yorimasa
源頼政
Left (Win).
葛城や夜の契りは空しきに物思ふ橋はなどや途絶えぬ
| kuzuragi ya yoru no chigiri wa munashiki ni mono’omou hashi wa nado ya todaenu |
Just as Kuzuragi, A night’s vow Is empty, yet My longing’s end: Why does it never come? |
673
Right.
頼むるに露の命をかけつればこの言の葉ぞ置き所なき
| tanomuru ni tsuyu no inochi o kaketsureba kono koto no ha zo okidokoro naki |
Trustworthy for A dewdrop life’s Length, but These words of yours Will find no place here… |
674
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem contains a significant amount of less than desirable diction. The Gentlemen of the Left state: we have nothing in particular to mention.
Shunzei’s judgement: while the Left’s ‘Why does it never come?’ (nado ya todaenu) is certainly undesirable, the initial section is most tasteful [yū]. The Right’s ‘dewdrop life long’ (tsuyu no inochi o kaku) ‘words’ (koto no ha) seems hackneyed, so still, ‘Kuzuragi Bridge’ should stand as the winner.