Question and Response Poetry Contest on Spring and Autumn held in a Certain Place[1]
It is entirely unclear whether this fragment of a match is an offcut of another event, such as Sadafumi uta’awase 貞文歌合 (dates unknown) or Tsurayuki uta’awase 貫之歌合 (939), in which case one can suppose the poems formed part of a larger consideration of the seasons. Another possibility, however, is that this is taken from a selection of his own poems by Ōshikōchi no Mitsune, with the final self-deprecatory comment being an indication of his unwillingness to take a view on the quality of his own work (Hagitani 1957, 233).
春にみなあひにし花の今日の雨に咲くをみるにぞ片負けぬべき
haru ni mina ainishi hana no kyō no ame ni saku o miru ni zo katamakenubeki
In springtime, all The blossoms that I met, In the rain today I see a’blooming— Not completely inferior at all!
1
こきまぜに花紅葉散るただ今は春秋ぞともいかがさだめむ
kokimaze ni hana momijiba chirutada ima wa haru aki zo to mo ikaga sadamemu
All mixed together Blossoms and scarlet leaves Scatter so now whether ‘Tis spring or autumn, How can I decide?
2
I had thought to write down the winner and loser, but when, in my extreme ignorance, I tried judging, embarrassingly I was unable to do it. The poems are just as in the text. Incomprehensible untruths and all.
