Left.
雲の上を出づる使のもろかづら向かふ日影にかざすけふかな
| kumo no ue o izuru tsukai no morokazura mukau hikage ni kazasu kyō kana |
From above the clouds The messengers emerge; Bearing branches, hollyhock decked, Bent towards the sun-bright power In adornment on this day. |
215
Right (Win).
ゆふだすきかけてぞ頼む玉かづらあふひうれしきみあれと思へば
| yūdasuki kakete zo tanomu tamakazura aoi ureshiki miare to omoeba |
With mulberry-cloth Garlanded, wishing for A jewelled belt of Hollyhocks, on this joyful Festive day… |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
216
The Right have no particular remarks to make about the Left’s poem. The Left, however, comment, ‘“Festival” (matsuri)and “festive” (miare) are somewhat different. They do not refer to events held on the same day.’
Shunzei responds, ‘While the Left’s “Bent towards the sun-bright power” (mukau hikage) certainly provides no evidence of a lack of feeling, in overall form the Right’s poem seems more elegantly flowing [migi utazama, iinagasaretaru yō]. While it is true that the festive days begin two days prior to the festival itself, the term can also apply to the evening of the festival day, and so the two can be seen as synonymous. The Right would seem to win.’