Left (Win).
くり返し春の糸ゆふ幾代へておなじ緑の空に見ゆらむ
| kurikaeshi haru no itoyū iku yo hete onaji midori no sora ni miyuramu |
Time and time again The threaded heat haze of spring, As uncounted ages pass, In identical azure Skies must appear… |
107
Right.
のどかなる夕日の空をながむれば薄紅に染むるいとゆふ
| nodokanaru yūhi no sora o nagamureba usukurenai ni somuru itoyū |
When on the tranquil Sunset sky I gaze, Pale crimson Stains the haze. |
108
Neither team has anything to say about the other’s poem this round.
Shunzei, however, says, ‘Although the expressions ‘time and time again’ (kurikaeshi) and ‘uncounted ages pass’ (iku yo hete) seem somewhat forced connections with ‘threaded’ (ito), the final section beginning ‘identical azure’ (onaji midori) is superb. The essence of the Right’s poem, of gazing at the sky at sunset with the threads of haze stained, is charming, but I wonder whether it would not have been better not to force the reference to sunset into the poem. ‘Azure skies’ must win.