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?

Kenshō.

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…

Lord Tsune’ie.

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.