Left.

戀衣しほりし袖はそれながら今宵はつまに重ねつる哉

koigoromo shiorishi sode wa sore nagara koyoi wa tsuma ni kasanetsuru kana

My loving clothes’ Sleeves are damp So This night upon her hem Shall I lay them?

Lord Suetsune

697

Right (Win).

かゝりける涙の色をあはれとは新手枕の袖に知るらん

kakarikeru namida no iro o aware to wa niitamakura no sode ni shiruran

My shed Tears’ hue Will he note, Newly pillowed on my arm, What will his feelings be?

Lord Tsune’ie

698

Left and Right both state the other’s poem is lacking in thought.

Shunzei’s judgement: saying ‘sleeves are damp, so’ (shiorishi sode wa sore nagara) sounds elegant, but the final section expresses the sense too directly. ‘Newly pillowed on my arm’ (niitamakura) lacks significant strengths or weaknesses, but with its ‘tears hue’ (namida no iro), the Right is superior, I think.