Neither team has any particular remarks to make about the other’s poems this round.
Shunzei, too, merely says, ‘Both poems make splendid use of places such as ‘the Palace at Takatsu’ (takatsu no miya), ‘close by to Naniwa’ (naniwa watari) and ‘dawn’ (akebono). It is difficult to decide on which is better. The round must, therefore, be a tie.’
The Right state that, ‘it does not seem as if much thought has been given to the placement of “the dawn in springtime” (haru no akebono). Given that it appears in the topic, why build up to it in such a roundabout way?’ The Left, however, have no comments to make on the Right’s poem.
The Right team state that, ‘the expression ‘softly lightening’ (akegure) gives the impression that the scene is rather earlier than dawn,’ to which the Left snap back that ‘sad solitude’ (kokorobosogeni) is ‘puerile.’
Shunzei’s judgement is, ‘The comments by both teams are apt. The poems seem of equivalent quality.’