Topic unknown.
たごのうらにうち出でてみればしろたへのふじのたかねに雪はふりつつ
| tago no ura ni uchi’idete mireba shirotae no fuji no takane ni yuki wa furitsutsu | From the bay at Tago I see, when gazing out, White as mulberry cloth On the heights of Fuji’s peak— The snow is ever falling. |
Akahito
Left
まきもくのひばらの霞たちかへりみれども花のおどろかれつつ
| makimoku no hibara no kasumi tachikaeri miredomo hana no odorokaretsutsu | In Makimoku[1] among The cypress groves the haze Rises and departs; I see it, yet the blossom Ever does amaze me… |
27[2]
Right
白妙の浪路わけてや春はくる風吹くからにはなも咲きけり
| shirotae no namiji wakete ya haru wa kuru kaze fuku kara ni hana mo sakinikeri | White as mulberry cloth are The wave-wakes: forging through them does Spring come? The wind blows so, The blossom has bloomed! |
28
[1] Makimoku 巻目 was an alternate name for Makimuku 纏向, a place in Yamato province which was traditionally believed to be the location of the state’s capital during the reigns of the legendary emperors Suinin 垂仁 and Keikō 景行.
[2] Shinsen man’yōshū 17/An almost identical poem is also included in Kokin rokujo (I: 619), while a minor variant occurs in Fubokushō (IV: 1100), with a headnote identifying it as being included in this contest: まきもくのひばらの山にたちかへり見れども花におどろかれつつ makimoku no / hibara no yama ni / tachikaeri / miredomo hana no / odorokaretsutsu ‘In Makimoku among / The mountain cypress groves / Rising and departing, / I see it, yet the blossom / Ever does amaze me…’
あきのよの月のひかりはきよけれどひとのこころのくまはてらさず[1]
| aki no yo no tsuki no hikari wa kiyokeredo hito no kokoro no kuma wa terasazu | On an autumn night The moon’s light is So clear, yet upon Her heart’s Depths it fails to shine. |
55
ゆふだすきかけてのみこそこひしけれあきとしなればひと
| yūdasuki kakete no koso koishikere aki to shi nareba hito | Cords of mulberry cloth Hung, are all the more Dear; When the autumn comes, She… |
56
The final words of this poem have not survived, so we need to use our imaginations to think of how it might have concluded.
A profusion of deutzia flowers in full bloom
Left
白妙に卯花さけるかきねをばつもりし雪とおもひけるかな
| shirotae ni u no hana sakeru kakine o ba tsumorishi yuki to omoikeru kana | A spread of white mulberry cloth, The deutzias have bloomed Along my brushwood fence Drifting snow is piled, or So it seems! |
Minamoto no Narikata
13
Right
みわたせばたかねののべのうつぎ原みな白妙にさきにけるかな
| miwatseba takane no nobe no utsugiwara mina shirotae ni sakinikeru kana | When I gaze across The high-peak meadows A field of deutzia, All as white as mulberry cloth, Have bloomed there. |
Ōe no Fumi’ichi
14
Left.
分け來つる情のみかはそが菊の色もてはやす白妙の袖
| wakekitsuru nasake nomi ka wa sogagiku no iro motehayasu shirotae no sode |
To tell between them Does not need soft thoughts alone ? Yellow chrysanthemumsf Hues combined with Sleeves of white mulberry cloth. |
445
Right.
長月の今日九日といひ顔に折り得て見ゆる白菊の花
| nagatsuki no kyō kokonoka to ii kao ni oriete miyuru shiragiku no hana |
‘Of the Longest Month Today is the Ninth day,’ So seem to say, Plucked and in my sight, These white chrysanthemums. |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
446
The Right say that the meaning of sogagiku is unclear. The Left respond, ‘They are yellow chrysanthemums. Emperor Ninmyō [Soga] was known to be fond of the colour yellow and so this is a term for yellow chrysanthemums.’ The Right then continue, ‘The Man’yōshū uses the term sogai (“rear”), in poems with the conception of “pursuing after” [oisugai no kokoro nari]. So are these not, therefore, chrysanthemums which are later in blooming on riverbanks, perhaps?’
The Left content themselves with saying that the Right’s poem shows no particular brilliance of construction, nor significant faults.
Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s ‘Does not need soft thoughts alone’ (nasake nomi ka wa) is by no means bad in the context of this poem [kono uta ni torite wa ashikarazarubeshi]. The explanation about yellow chrysanthemums is, indeed, one that has had some circulation recently. Lord Toshiyori apparently declared sogagiku to be ‘a single stem of yellow chrysanthemums’. The Right’s other query on the relationship with the Man’yō term sogai, does not seem to be without merit [muri ni arazaru]. It has been said that the Right’s poem lacks faults, but I cannot appreciate ‘so seem to say’ (ii kao ni) as proper diction [shokisebekarazaru kono kotoba haberubeki]. In the absence of definite proof from the reign of Emperor Ninmyō about the sense of sogagiku, I make this round a tie.
Left.
雲の上を出づる使のもろかづら向かふ日影にかざすけふかな
| kumo no ue o izuru tsukai no morokazura mukau hikage ni kazasu kyō kana |
From above the clouds The messengers emerge; Bearing branches, hollyhock decked, Bent towards the sun-bright power In adornment on this day. |
215
Right (Win).
ゆふだすきかけてぞ頼む玉かづらあふひうれしきみあれと思へば
| yūdasuki kakete zo tanomu tamakazura aoi ureshiki miare to omoeba |
With mulberry-cloth Garlanded, wishing for A jewelled belt of Hollyhocks, on this joyful Festive day… |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
216
The Right have no particular remarks to make about the Left’s poem. The Left, however, comment, ‘“Festival” (matsuri)and “festive” (miare) are somewhat different. They do not refer to events held on the same day.’
Shunzei responds, ‘While the Left’s “Bent towards the sun-bright power” (mukau hikage) certainly provides no evidence of a lack of feeling, in overall form the Right’s poem seems more elegantly flowing [migi utazama, iinagasaretaru yō]. While it is true that the festive days begin two days prior to the festival itself, the term can also apply to the evening of the festival day, and so the two can be seen as synonymous. The Right would seem to win.’
Left.
心からあくがれそめし花の香になを物思ふ春の曙
| kokoro kara akugaresomeshi hana no ka ni nao mono’omou haru no akebono |
My heart From the very first did love The blossoms’ scent, which Still, brings me to thoughts of you This spring dawning… |
157
Right (Win).
白妙の袖のわかれに露落て身にしむ色の秋風ぞ吹
| shirotae no sode no wakare ni tsuyu ochite mi ni shimu iro no aki kaze zo fuku |
White mulberry-cloth Sleeves parting: Dew dropped, The colours stain my soul, Yearning carried on the autumn wind. |
158
Left.
白妙の衣しでうつひゞきより置まよふ霜の色にいづらむ
| shirotae no koromo shide utsu hibiki yori okimayou shimo no iro ni izuramu |
White mulberry cloth Garb fulled hard: Do the echoes Fretful frostfall’s Hues bring forth? |
61
Right (Win)
秋とだにわすれむとおもふ月影をさもあやにくにうつ衣かな
| aki to dani wasuremu to omou tsukikage o samo ayaniku ni utsu koromo kana |
My autumn longings, at least, Thought I to forget, amongst The moonlight, Yet, alas, how Sad the sound of fulling cloth… |
62