Both Left and Right say together: we can see no faults to mention.
In judgement: the Left’s poem is charming in style. The conception of the Right’s ‘teardrops’ shades’ (namida no iro) shifting is elegant, but both poems seem to be simply lamenting that one has gone on a journey, and there is little conception of love in them. They are equivalent and the round should tie.
The Right state they have no criticisms of the Left’s poem. The Left merely say that the Right’s poem is ‘old-fashioned’.
Shunzei’s judgement: The Left’s ‘dew drops’ (tsuyu no tama) falling so widely at Sayo-no-Nakayama one can surmise to be deeply expressive of the concept of travel. The Right’s Akashi Bay is a place strongly associated with the sad sound of the wind and the waves, but the final ‘makes even more fall’ (ochimasarikeru) is insufficient. Thus, the Left should win.
Both teams state there are no faults with their opponent’s poem.
In judgement: the Gentlemen of both Left and Right have stated that there are no faults with the style of either poem. I accept that and will make this round a tie.
During the reign of former Emperor Ichijō, after Her Majesty, the Empress had passed away, when some letters were found tied with the cord that had been used to hold back her curtain of state, these were among three poems written down when His Majesty’s expression indicated he would like to see them.
夜もすがら契りし事を忘れずばこひむ涙のいろぞ床しき
yomosugara
tigirisi koto wo
wasurezuba
koFimu namida no
iro zo yukasiki
All throughout the night
We vowed, and
If I forget it not,
Our tears of love’s
Hue is all my longing!
Both Left and Right state together that they are unable to find any words of praise.
In judgement: ‘River Hatsuse’ (hatsusegawa) and ‘many times I have proposed’ (iiwataru) are the only expressions with some conception of love, but they seem somewhat lacking, do they not? A form with ‘snow drifts’ (yuki furinitaru), having ‘sleeves strongly stained with tears’ (sode no namida wa iromeku) has a profound conception of love.
Left and Right both state there are no faults to indicate.
In judgement: even though both the Left’s ‘pillowed arm this night’ (sayo no tamakura) and the Right’s ‘dusty bed’ (yodoko no chiri) are elegant, the combination of ‘my tears drop upon my pillowed arm this night’ (namida kakiyaru sayo no tamakura) is particularly moving. The Left should win.