A poem from the Poetry Contest held by the Empress Dowager during the Reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.
住の江のきしによる波夜さへや夢のかよひ路人めよくらむ
| suminoe no kisi ni yoru nami yoru saFe ya yume no kayoFidi Fitome yokuramu | On Suminoe’s Shore break waves; Even at night Upon the path of dreams Can we avoid others’ prying eyes? |
Lord Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
Flames.
君がもるゑじのたくひのひるはたえよるはもえつつ物をこそ思へ
| kimi ga moru wezi no taku Fi no Firu wa tae yoru Fa moetsutsu mono o koso omoFe | My lord stands guard at the Palace, A conscript kindling flames which Dwindle with the daytime, and Ever burn at night: As do I, for love of him. |
Left
うつつにもゆめにもひとによるしあへばくれゆくばかりうれしきはなし
| utsutsu ni mo yume ni mo hito ni yoru shi aeba kureyuku bakari ureshiki wa nashi | In reality and In dreams both, ‘tis her I meet at night, so Until the twilight comes I have no joy, at all. |
Mitsune
57
Right (Win)
たまもかるあまとはなしにきみこふるわがころもでのかわくときなき
| tamamo karu ama to wa nashi ni kimi kouru wa ga koromode no kawaku toki naki | Reaping gemweed, A seaman, I am not, but Loving you, my lady, My sleeves are Dry for not a moment. |
58
Left
住吉のきしによる波夜さへや夢のかよひ路人めよくらむ
| sumiyoshi no kishi ni yoru nami yoru sae ya yume no kayoiji hitome yokuramu | On Sumiyoshi’s Shore break waves; Even at night Upon the path of dreams Can we avoid others’ prying eyes? |
186
Right
夕附夜おぼろに人を見てしより天雲はれぬ心地こそすれ
| yūzukuyo oboro ni hito o miteshi yori amagumo harenu kokochi koso sure | On a moonlit evening Faintly, a lady Did I see, and ever since Heaven’s clouds, unclearing, Weigh on my feelings… |
187
もみぢばのながるるあきはかはごとににしきあらふとひとはみるらん[1]
| momijiba no nagaruru aki wa kawa goto ni nishiki arau to hito wa miruramu | The scarlet leaves Flow and in autumn By every river Washing their brocade Folk can be seen! |
ひしくればよるもめかれじきくのはなあきすぎぬればあふべきものか
| hi shi kureba yoru mo mekareji kiku no hana aki suginureba aubeki mono ka | When the day is here, At night you do escape my sight, O, chrysanthemums; When autumn has passed by, I wonder shall we meet again? |
70
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