hitogokoro utsurihatenuru hana no iro ni mukashi nagara no yama no na mo oshi
As a human heart All faded are The blossoms’ hues upon Ever unchanged Nagara Mountain—even its name brings regret.[1]
A Court Lady 17
Right
なぞもかく思ひそめけむ桜花やまとしたかく成りはつるまで
nazo mo kaku omoisomekemu sakurabana yama toshi takaku narihatsuru made
Why is it that I seem so Absorbed in thought of Cherry blossom that The mountain higher Has grown? [2]
Lord Ietaka 18
The Right’s poem mentioning ‘Grief as hard as felling trees upon a mountain higher’ has charming diction. As for the Left’s poem, while I have heard it strongly stated that using a ‘human heart’ is not diction that should be composed with these days, as this is not a poem for public circulation, for the moment I make this a tie.
Composed during the reign of former Emperor Ichijō, when His Majesty was presented with a gift of some eightfold cherry blossom from Nara and, being in attendance, he ordered her to composed a poem on this gift of blossom.
いにしへのならの宮このやへざくらけふここのへににほひぬるかな
inishie no nara no miyako no yaezakura kyō kokonoe ni nioinuru kana
The ancient Capital of Nara had Eightfold cherry blossom, that Today within the ninefold palace Does shine!
