Left.

雲井までひゞきやすらん夏山の峰より高き蝉の諸聲

kumoi made hibiki ya suran natsuyama no mine yori takaki semi no morogoe

To the very clouds Do they resound? In summer, the mountain Peaks they do surpass: The cicadas’ jostling songs.

Lord Ari’ie.

291

Right (Win).

鳴きすさむひまこそなけれをちこちにやがて待ち取る蝉の聲ごゑ

nakisusamu hima koso nakere ochikochi ni yagate machitoru semi no koegoe

Respite from song, However brief, there’s none! Both near and far Wait but a moment and a Cicada calls.

Lord Takanobu.

292

The Right say, ‘The conception of the Left’s poem is trite. The comparison of these things (the cicadas’ songs and the mountains’ height) goes against the spirit of the topic.’ The Left have nothing, and no reason, to say anything.

Shunzei agrees: ‘Better than the over-wrought language of the Left’s poem, the Right’s “Both near and far wait but a moment” (ochikochi ni yagate machitoru) suits the topic well. The Right must win.’