Round Fifteen

Left

さがの山みゆきたえにしせりかはのちよのふるみちあとはありけり

saga no yama miyuki taenishi seri kawa no chiyo no furu michi ato wa arikeri

His Majesty, Saga’s mountain Excursion is long done, yet By the River Seri For a thousand generations will the ancient ways Leave their mark.

29[i]

Right

世中よみちこそなけれおもひいるやまのおくにもしかぞなくなる

yo no naka yo michi koso nakere omoi’iru yama no oku ni mo shika zo naku naru

O, the world of men! There’s no escape, indeed, I feel! In the mountains’ heart A stag calls out.

30[ii]

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[i] GSS XV: 1075: On the day the Emperor [Kōkō (830-887; r. 884-887)] in the Ninna period (885-889), following the example set in the reign of the Emperor Saga (786-842; r. 809-823), made an excursion to the River Seri.

[ii] SZS XVII: 1151: When he composed a hundred poem sequence of reminiscences, he composed this as a poem on deer.