Left (Win).
忘れずよほのぼの人を三嶋江のたそがれなりし蘆のまよひに
| wasurezu yo honobono hito o mishimae no tasogare narishi ashi no mayoi ni |
Never will I forget you Who I glimpsed faintly In the dusk of Mishima Bay A single reed Causes confusion. |
647
Right.
花の色に移る心は山櫻霞のまより思ひそめてき
| hana no iro ni utsuru kokoro wa yamazakura kasumi no ma yori omoisometeki |
A blossom’s hue Has caught my heart; A mountain cherry Through the parted mists Has set me on the path of love. |
648
The Gentlemen of the Right state: saying simply ‘dusk’ (tasogare) when it should be ‘the hour of dusk’ (tasogare toki) sounds somewhat strange. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Right’s poem is composed to recall the Kokinshū’s ‘A mountain cherry through the drifting mists’ (yamazakura kasumi no ma yori), but is inferior to the original.
Shunzei’s judgement: in regard to the Left’s poem, it is certainly the case that, even without the ‘hour’, ‘in the dusk’ is a standard expression. The Right’s poem sounds old-fashioned. The Left, though, does not sound unpleasant, even though its mentioning of ‘never will I forget’ (wasurezu yo) recollects ‘a tiled kiln’. It should win.
Left (Win).
誰か行く夏野の草の葉末よりほのかに見ゆる三嶋菅笠
| tare ka yuku natsuno no kusa no hazue yori honoka ni miyuru mishima sugagasa |
Who is that a’coming? Above the summer plains’ grass Tips Distantly appears A Mishima sedge-hat! |
195
Right.
夏草にの飼ひの駒もかくろへていばゆる聲ぞ人に知らるゝ
| natsukusa ni no kai no koma mo kakuroete ibayuru koe zo hito ni shiraruru |
Among the summer grasses The herded horses, too, Are hidden; Whinnying neighs Are what let folk know! |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
196
Neither team has any comments to make about the other’s poem this round.
Shunzei remarks, ‘While the Left’s poem is certainly affecting, might it not be the case that simply “someone” (tare ka yuku) seen at a distance wearing a Mishima sedge-hat is insufficiently moving? However, the conception of the Right’s poem is not that surprising [kokoro wa mezurashikaranedo], and the expression [kotoba] “are hidden” (kakuroete) is certainly inappropriate [yoroshiki kotoba ni arazarubeshi]. “Sedge-hat” should win, should it not!’
Topic unknown.
み島江につのぐみ渡る蘆の根の一よの程に春めきにけり
| misimae ni tunogumi wataru asi no ne no Fito yo no Fodo ni Farumekinikeri |
At Mishima Bay Horns sprout everywhere: From the reed roots (Not one knot) In a single night Spring has sprung. |
Sone no Yoshitada
曾禰好忠
