Love V: 13

Left (Tie).
行通ふ心の戀をしるべにてまだ見ぬ峰を幾重越ゆらん

yukikayou
kokoro no koi o
shirube nite
mada minu mine o
ikue koyuran
Crossing distances, with
Our hearts’ love
As a guide;
How many unseen peaks
Must I yet cross…

Lord Ari’ie.
865

Right.
尋ぬべき程を聞くにもいとゞしく心の道ぞまづ迷ひぬる

tazunubeki
hodo o kiku ni mo
itodoshiku
kokoro no michi zo
mazu mayoinuru
The distance I must travel:
When I ask how far it is,
More and more
Does my heart upon the path
Begin by wandering lost.

Lord Takanobu.
866

The Right state: we wonder about the appropriateness of the expression ‘our hearts’ love’ (kokoro no koi)? The Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to mention.

In judgement: the Left’s ‘our hearts’ love’ is something I am completely unaccustomed to hearing. The Right’s poem does have ‘my heart upon the path’ (kokoro no michi), but the use of ‘more and more’ (itodoshiku) means it is difficult to make it a winner. The round should tie.

Love V: 12

Left (Win).
行く末の深き縁とぞ契つるまだ結ばれぬ淀の若菰

yukusue no
fukaki eni to zo
chigiritsuru
mada musubarenu
yodo no wakagomo
In the future,
A deep connection will we have,
You vowed,
Yet still no one has cupped
This young shoot of wild rice at Yodo.

A Servant Girl.
863

Right.
結ばんと契し人を忘れずやまだ影淺き井手の玉水

musuban to
chigirishi hito o
wasurezu ya
mada kage asaki
ide no tamamizu
That we would be joined
We swore, so
Will you not forget me?
The slight reflection left
In Ide’s jewelled waters…

Ietaka.
864

Both Left and Right state: there is no separation between man and woman.

In judgement: ‘Young shoot of wild rice at Yodo’ (yodo no wakagomo) and ‘Ide’s jewelled waters’ (ide no tamamizu) are both elegant in style, but the Left has pledged a more profound bond. The Right has ‘the slight reflection left’ (mada kage asaki) and the Left is a poem about a vow which has been made. The Right is just referring to events of the past. Thus, ‘depth’ should win.