Fresh herbs in the snow.
わかなつむ衣手ぬれてかた岡のあしたのはらにあは雪ぞふる
| wakana tsumu koromode nurete kataoka no ashita no hara ni awayuki zo furu | Picking fresh herbs, My sleeves are soaked, for In Kataoka Upon the plain of Ashita Falls a froth of snow. |
Left
うつつにもゆめにもひとによるしあへばくれゆくばかりうれしきはなし
| utsutsu ni mo yume ni mo hito ni yoru shi aeba kureyuku bakari ureshiki wa nashi | In reality and In dreams both, ‘tis her I meet at night, so Until the twilight comes I have no joy, at all. |
Mitsune
57
Right (Win)
たまもかるあまとはなしにきみこふるわがころもでのかわくときなき
| tamamo karu ama to wa nashi ni kimi kouru wa ga koromode no kawaku toki naki | Reaping gemweed, A seaman, I am not, but Loving you, my lady, My sleeves are Dry for not a moment. |
58
Left
ひとりぬる身の衣ではうみなれやみるに涙ぞまなくよせけれ
| hitori nuru mi no koromode wa umi nare ya miru ni namida zo ma naku yosekere | Sleeping alone Is my sleeve The sea? For looking upon it, waves of tears Break there ceaselessly. |
180
Right
年をへてもゆてふふじの山よりもあはぬ思ひは我ぞまされる
| toshi o hete moyu chō fuji no yama yori mo awanu omoi wa ware zo masareru | Through all the passing years Burns Fuji; Far more than the mountain, Not meeting you, the flames of passion, Burn brightly in me. |
181[1]
[1] Shikashū VII: 202/Shinchokusenshū XII: 710
Left
篠のはにおく霜よりもひとりぬる我が衣手ぞさえまさりける
| sasa no ha ni oku simo yori mo hitori nuru wa ga koromode zo saemasarikeru | On bamboo grass leaves Settles frost, but Sleeping alone, My sleeves Are colder still by far. |
Tomonori
121[1]
Right
流れ行く水こほりぬる冬さへや猶うき草の跡はさだめぬ
| nagareyuku mizu kōrinuru fuyu sae ya nao ukikusa no ato wa sadamenu | The flowing Waters have frozen With the winter, even Still the waterweed Has left no clear trace at all. |
122
[1] Kokinshū XII: 563/Shinsen man’yōshū 159/Kokin rokujō I: 668
Left (Win)
我恋はあまのさかてを打ち返し思ときてや世をも恨みん
| wa ga koi wa ama no sakate o uchikaeshi omoi tokite ya yo o mo uramin | My love: With my diver girl’s hands raised to heaven I cast back Knowing of these pains of love The world is all despair! |
Lord Kanemune
1167
Right
衣手はしほたるれどもみるめをばかづかぬ海人となりにけるかな
| koromode wa shiotaruredomo mirume o ba kazukanu ama to narinikeru kana | Though my sleeves Are drenched, as Unable to catch a glimpse of seaweed Like a hapless diver-girl Have I become. |
Lord Tsune’ie
1168
The Right state: there are various possible interpretations for ama no sakate. In addition, is it appropriate to compose a poem from the diver-girl’s perspective? The Left state: there is nothing to mention in the Right’s poem.
In judgement: the Left’s ama no sakate is not a particularly good expression, but I see no fault in composing from the diver-girl’s perspective. In recent times, people have come up with alternate interpretations for the phrase, but I see no reason for them. This old fool long ago composed a poem in this way. So I wonder, should I criticise my own composition? There is evidence for this in the Tales of Ise, and other texts, too. However, in poetry competitions, ama no sakate fails to sound appropriate. The Right’s diver-girl with sleeves drenched by the tide and unable to harvest seaweed seems incapable. She cannot be a genuine diver-girl. The Left’s sakate is not that elegant, but the girl is genuine. It wins.