The Chrysanthemum Match during the reign of the Kanpyō Emperor.
The Gentlemen of the Left. For the chrysanthemum in the initial round, Kotategimi, a young courtier lad, was dressed as a woman, and brought in the flower, hiding his face with it. A further nine blooms were planted in a suhama. The form of the suhama was certainly very charming. The chrysanthemums had their names written on long strips of paper, which were twined about them in places to show them to their best advantage.
Initial Round: a chrysanthemum from Minase in Yamazaki
うちつけに水瀬は匂ひまされるをり人からか花の常かも
uchituke ni minase Fa nioFi masareru wori Fito kara ka Fana no tune kamo
Suddenly Minase, with scent Superb is filled – Is it from a lady there, or Are the blooms ever so?
Composed when it was said that a poetry competition was to be held at the residence of the Ninna Middle Captain Lady of the Bedchamber. 花のちることやわびしき春霞たつたの山のうぐひすのこゑ
Fana no tiru koto ya wabisiki Farugasumi tatuta no yama no uguFisu no kowe
The falling of the flowers Is sad, indeed; In the spring haze On Tatsuta Mountain A warbler cries…
Composed when it was said that a poetry competition was to be held at the residence of the Ninna Middle Captain Lady of the Bedchamber. 惜しと思ふ心は糸に縒られなむ散る花ごとに貫きてとどめむ
osi to omoFu kokoro Fa ito ni yorarenamu tiru Fana goto ni nukite todomemu
A regretful Heart with threads Does seem to be entangled; Every single scattered bloom Will I thread on them to keep.
[2]This poem is included in Kokinshū (II: 114) and also in Sosei-shū 素性集 (16), where in some versions the headnote reads ‘[Composed] on the profusion of blossom when it was decided there would be poetry match at the residence of the Ninnaji Middle Captain Lady of the Bedchamber’.