Round Thirteen
Left
うらちかくふりくる雪はしら波のすゑの松山こすかとぞみる
ura chikaku
furikuru yuki wa
shiranami no
sue no matsuyama
kosu ka to zo miru | Close by the beach
The snow comes falling upon
The whitecaps—that
The pine-topped peak of Sue
The might o’ercome it does appear! |
Fujiwara no Okikaze
24
Right
みよしのの山の白雪つもるらしふる里さむく成りまさるなり
miyoshino no
yama no shirayuki
tsumorurashi
furusato samuku
narimasaru nari | On fair Yoshino
Mountain white snow fall
Drifts high, it seems,
For in this ancient place the chill
Grows ever stronger. |
Sakanoue no Korenori
25[1]
[1] Kokinshū VI: 325: Composed at the place he was staying when he had gone to the Nara capital.
Winter
Round Eleven
Left
霜のうへにふる初雪の朝氷とけむほどこそひさしかりけれ
shimo no ue ni
furu hatsuyuki no
asagōri
tokemu hodo koso
hisashikarikere | Upon the frosts
Falls first snow, turning
Icy in the morning;
The time when it will melt is
Far away, indeed. |
20[1]
Right (Win)
いつのまにふりつもりけんみよしのの山のかひよりくづれ落つる雪
itsu no ma ni
furitsumoriken
miyoshino no
yama no kai yori
kuzure’otsuru yuki | All of a sudden
Has it fallen and piled high
In fair Yoshino
The mountain passes are
Blocked by fallen snow. |
21
[1] Kokin rokujō I: 696
Round Three
Left
氷とくはるたちくらしみよしののよしののたきのこゑまさるなり
kōri toku
haru tachikurashi
miyoshino no
yoshino no taki no
koe masarunari | Ice melting
Spring has come on scene, it seems;
In fair Yoshino,
Yoshino Falls’
Roar is fine, indeed! |
5
Right (Win)
はなの色はかすみにこめてみえずともかをだにぬすめ春の山風
hana no iro wa
kasumi ni komete
miezu tomo
ka o dani nusume
haru no yamakaze | The blossoms’ hues
Have blended with the haze, so
I see them not, yet
Their very scent is plundered by
Spring’s breezes from the mountains. |
6
Round Two
Left
年のうちに春はきにけりひととせをこぞとやいはん今年とやいはん
toshi no uchi ni
haru wa kinikeri
hito tose o
kozo to ya iwan
kotoshi to ya iwan | Within the year
Spring has come once more, so
A single year:
Should I say ‘tis last year, or
Should I say ‘tis this one? |
Ariwara no Motokata
3[1]
Right (Win)
みよしのの山べにさけるさくら花雪かとのみぞあやまたれける
miyoshino no
yamabe ni sakeru
sakurabana
yuki ka to nomi zo
ayamatarekeru | In fair Yoshino
In the mountains, the flowering
Cherry blossoms:
Simply for snow
I did mistake them! |
Ki no Tomonori
4[2]
[1] Kokin rokujō I: 1
[2] Kokinshū I: 60
A poem by Prince Yuhara, when he was in Yoshino.
吉野なる菜摘の川の川淀に鴨ぞ鳴くなる山蔭にして
yosino naru
natumi no kapa no
kapa yodo ni
kamo zo nakunaru
yama kage ni site | In Yoshino
From the River Natsumi’s
Deep, still pools
The ducks cry
In the mountains’ shade. |
Prince Yuhara
Topic unknown.
見わたせば松のはしろきよしの山いくよつもれる雪にかあるらん
miwataseba
matsu no ha shiroki
yoshinoyama
iku yo tsumoreru
yuki ni ka aruran | When I gaze across,
The pine needles are white
In the mountains of Yoshino;
How many nights has it been drifting—
The snow—I wonder? |
Tadami
よし野河ながれて過ぐるとしなみにたちゐのかげも暮れにけるかな
yoshinogawa
nagarete suguru
toshinami ni
tachi’i no kage mo
kurenikeru kana | The River Yoshino
Flows past
The year’s waves
Rise and fall, shapes
Vanish into the twilight. |
Ōe no Masafusa
New Year’s Eve.
よしの川ながれて過ぐる年浪の立ゐのかげもくれにけるかな
yoshino gawa
nagarete suguru
toshinami no
tachi’i no kage mo
kurenikeru kana | The River Yoshino
Flows on past while
The year’s waves
Rise and fall
Fading into shadow! |
Ōe no Masafusa
Preparing Tribute 貢調
御調物きみが御代にはよしの川よし心みよたえやしけると
mitsukimono
kimi ga miyo ni wa
yoshinogawa
yoshi kokoromiyo
tae ya shikeru to | The tribute for
My Lord’s reign is as
The River Yoshino!
So, just try
To bring it to an end! |
Tadafusa
Left (Tie).
吉野河はやき流れを堰く岩のつれなき中に身を砕くらん
yoshinogawa
hayaki nagare o
seku iwa no
tsurenaki naka ni
mi o kudakuran |
The River Yoshino’s
Swift flow is
Dammed by boulders;
With the chilling of our bond
It seems my very self will shatter… |
A Servant Girl
995
Right.
ありとても逢はぬためしの名取川朽ちだにはてよ瀬せの埋れ木
ari tote mo
awanu tameshi no
natorigawa
kuchi dani hateyo
sese no mumoregi |
We live, yet
Cannot meet – our situation
A source of rumours; in the River Natori
Let all rot away with
The drowned trees in the rapids! |
Jakuren.
996
Both Left and Right together state: we find no faults to mention.
In judgement: both poems are extremely good. This is a tie of quality.
'Simply moving and elegant'