Love III: 4

Left.

よしさらば今は忍ばで戀死なん思に負けし名にだにも立て

yoshi saraba
ima wa shinobade
koishi nan
omou ni makeshi
na ni dani mo tate
I care not if it’s so!
Now, with no concealment
Will I die of love!
One defeated by his feelings:
Let that be how I’m known!

Lord Sada’ie.

727

Right (Win).

君戀ふと人には知れぬいかにして逢はぬ憂き名を今は包まん

kimi kou to
hito ni wa shirenu
ika ni shite
awanu ukina o
ima wa tsutsuman
That I love you
Has become known to all,
But what to do?
The rumour that you’ll cruelly not meet –
How will you conceal that?

The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.

728

The Right state: the final section of the Left does not match the conception. The Left state: the Right’s poem is old-fashioned in conception.

Shunzei’s judgement: the Left’s poem really does seem unsatisfactory. While ‘has become known to all’ in the Right’s poem does sound old-fashioned, again despite the presence of old-fashioned diction, it is a fine poem. I make ‘known to all’ the winner!

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