Round Twelve

Left

霜枯に移ひ残る村菊はみる朝ごとにめづらしきかな

shimogare ni utsuroinokoru muragiku wa miru asa goto ni mezurashiki kana

Burned by frost, Faded and lingering A cluster of chrysanthemums When I see them every morn Strikes me afresh!

Lord Toshitaka
47

Right (Both Judges – Win)

置くしものなからましかば菊のはな移ふ色をけふみましやは

oku shimo no nakaramashikaba kiku no hana utsurou iro o kyō mimashi ya wa

Fallen frost Were there none, then Chrysanthemum blooms Faded hues I would not see today…

Lord Tamezane
48

Toshiyori states: the first poem has nothing remarkable about it, apart from the undesirable use of ‘clustered chrysanthemums’. The second poem’s sense could be that when the frost has fallen, the chrysanthemum won’t display faded hues, but it is a mistake to link frost fall and being able to see them. However, if we interpret is as meaning it has fallen, so we can then view them for a long time, well, I can understand that, and will make it the winner.

Mototoshi states: this poem has no faults, but it does not appear to be a poem suited to a poetry match—it’s just rather dull. The poem of the Right, too, lacks anything worth pointing out and just says that the poet wants to gaze upon faded hues today—this seems a bit cliched, but I’d say it’s superior.