Composed at a place called Higurashino, when he was in attendance upon the former Teishi Emperor who had gone to view Miyataki.
ひぐらしのゆきすぎぬともかひもあらじひもとくいももまたじとおもへば
| higurashino yukisuginu tomo kai mo araji himo toku imo mo mataji to omoeba | Sundown at Higurashino Has passed, yet ‘Tis pointless, for My darling girl to undo her belt Has waited not, I fear… |
Major Counsellor Noboru
Composed in the conception of travel, when he presented a hundred poem sequence.
東路の野島が埼の浜風に我が紐ゆひし妹がかほのみ面影に見ゆ
| azumadi no nozima ga saki no Famakaze ni wa ga Fimo yuFisi imo ga kaFo nomi omokage ni miyu |
On Eastern roads At Nojima Point In the breeze from off the beach: My belt was tied By my darling, her face, A vision, appears before me… |
Master of the Left Capital Office, Akisuke
左京大夫顕輔
Left.
片山の垣根の日影ほのみえて露にぞうつる花の夕顔
| katayama no kakine no hikage honomiete tsuyu ni zo utsuru hana no yūgao |
Facing the single mountainside In evening sunlight upon the fence Faintly seen, Glistening with dew, Is a bloom of moonflower. |
265
Right (Win).
折てこそ見るべかりけれ夕露に紐とく花の光ありとは
| orite koso mirubekarikere yū tsuyu ni himo toku hana no hikari ari to wa |
Plucked, that I might gaze upon her, Touched with evening dew, Her belt undoing, this blossom Is lustrous, indeed! |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
266
The Right wonder whether the Left’s poem, ‘lacks the emotional import of the topic [dai no kokoro kasuka ni ya], despite the mention of moonflowers?’ The Left counter that, ‘The Right’s poem simplistically recalls The Tale of Genji [genji no monogatari bakari o omoeru]– is this appropriate in a poetry contest [uta’awase no akashi to nasu ni, ikaga]?’
Shunzei states, ‘The Left certainly does lack the emotional import of the topic. Moreover, it does not use the expression “moonflower blossom” (yūgao no hana), but “bloom of moonflower” (hana no yūgao). This, too, is contrary to the topic [dai no mama narade] and, I have to say, an unusual choice of expression. The Right’s poem does simply refer to The Tale of Genji, but in form it cannot be said to be anything less than superb [utazama yū narazaru ni wa arazaru]. It is superior to a “bloom of moonflower”.’