Left (Win).

あらし吹く梢はるかに鳴蝉の秋を近しと空に告ぐ也

arashi fuku kozue haruka ni naru semi no aki o chikashi to sora o tsugu nari

A storm wind blows The distant treetops, where The cicadas sing Of coming autumn To the skies.

Lord Sada’ie.

289

Right.

茂りあふ青き紅葉の下涼み暑さは蝉の聲にゆづりぬ

shigeriau aoki momiji no shita suzumi atsusa wa semi no koe in yuzurinu

Lush and Green beneath the maple leaves ‘Tis cool; The heat by cicadas Song is summoned.

Nobusada.

290

The Right state that, ‘“Sing…to the skies” (sora o tsugu) goes against the spirit of the topic,’ while the Left wonder, ‘What we can make of “green maple leaves” (aoki momiji)?’

Shunzei states, ‘The Left’s “sing of coming autumn to the skies” (aki o chikashi to sora o tsugu nari) is superlative. The Right’s “green maple leaves” (aoki momiji) must mean that the poet, on seeing a tree which turns scarlet, rather than green, recollects the autumn colour. However, “the heat” and the diction in the concluding line are somewhat pedestrian and unpoetic. I must award the victory to the Left.’