The Gentlemen of the Right state: how can love be dangerous? The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Right’s poem has no faults to mention.
In judgement: saying that the ‘paths of love are, at the end’ (koiji no sue) dangerous is perfectly commonplace. ‘Is only a withered field of cogon grass’ (hito mo kareno no asajiwara) seems to simply have taken the poem ‘Sedge fields lie / Around the estate of Fushimi, / All long overgrown; / He who passed across them / Has left no tracks at all…’ and swapped in ‘mount who once did cross it’ (kayoishi koma). Changing a man into a mount is discomposing, indeed. Again, the Left should win.
When the Go-nijō Regent [Fujiwara no Moromichi] was angry about some problematic circumstances, Nakamasa was at his residence, and did not present this to him directly, but said to the ladies in waiting.
三笠山さすがに蔭に隱ろへてふるかひもなきあめの下哉
mikasayama
sasuga ni kage ni
kakuroFete
Furu kaFi mo naki
ame no sita kana
On Mount Mikasa
Indeed, by the shade
I am concealed, yet
Continuing on seems pointless
Under such a rain.
When Fujiwara no Sanemune was Assistant Governor of Hitachi, he was severely criticised by messengers from the Ministry of the Treasury, and when Minister Masafusa heard this, he was ordered to transfer to Tōtōmi, so she composed this and sent it to him.
筑波山ふかくうれしと思ふかな浜名の橋にわたす心を
tukubayama
Fukaku uresi to
omoFu kana
Famana no Fasi no
watasu kokoro wo
Upon Mount Tsukuba
Will there be great rejoicing
I think, that
To the bridge at Hamana
Have your attentions turned!
Lady Higo [in service to] the Grand Empress Dowager
太皇太后宮肥後