The two princes of former Emperor Yōzei held a poetry match, occupying the Left and Right on the topics of ‘love on waking’ and ‘love after a dawn parting’.

Love on Waking

Left

ねてよりもさめてののちのわびしきはつらきうつつにまどふなりけり

nete yori mo samete no nochi no wabishiki wa tsuraki utsutsu ni madou narikeri

More than sleeping After waking is Sad and lonely— Cruel reality Leaves me lost.

1

Right

くやくやとまちてねざめにおきたればつきよりほかにいるひとぞなき

kuyakuya to machite nezame ni okitareba tsuki yori hoka ni iru hito zo naki

Such painful thoughts Await me on waking When I arise Other than the moon There is no one here at all.

2