Love I: 7

Left (Win).

洩らすなよ雲ゐる嶺の初時雨木の葉は下に色變るとも

morasunayo
kumoiru mine no
hatsu shigure
ko no ha wa shita ni
iro kawarutomo
O, let it not leak out!
Though the cloud-capped peaks’
First shower of rain,
On the leaves’ underside
Has left a change of hue

A Servant Girl.

613

Right.

閨のうちは涙の雨に朽ち果てゝしのぶは茂る妻にぞ有ける

neya no uchi wa
namida no ame ni
kuchihatete
shinobu wa shigeru
tsuma ni zo arikeru
Within my bedchamber
A rain of tears
Has rotted all, so
The weeping ferns secretly grow thick
Around the edges…

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

614

The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem has no defects worth criticising. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the initial and final sections of the Right’s poem lack connection with each other. Does the poem have a conception of hiddenness?

Shunzei’s judgement: The conception and configuration of the Left’s ‘cloud-capped peaks’ first shower of rain’ (kumoiru mine no hatsu shigure) seems charming [kokoro sugata okashiku mie]. On that basis, it should win.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *