While, as a kajin (waka poet) of the Kyogoku school of poetry, he had 24 poems of his own adopted in Chokusen wakashu (anthologies of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command) subsequent to Shingosen Wakashu (New Later Collection of Japanese poems), it is said that he had little political ability, and it is recorded in the articles of March 26 and 27 of the first year of Bunpo era (in the old lunar calendar, that is, May 15 and 16 of 1317 in the Gregorian calendar) of "Hanazono Tenno Shinki" (The Records of Emperor Hanazono) that when Kinaki was in charge of writing Omagaki (a list of candidates) of Agatameshi no jimoku (ceremony for appointing local officials), because he didn't know the manner, he learned it from the husband of his daughter, Michihira NIJO, in the presence of Emperor Hanazono, and that the emperor who wrote these records was indignant at their behaviors.
京極派の歌人として新後撰和歌集以下の勅撰和歌集に計24首採録されているが、政治的才能には乏しかったとされ、『花園天皇宸記』文保元年3月26・27日条には公顕が県召除目の大間書執筆を担当した際に、その作法が分らずに娘婿の二条道平が天皇の御前で舅に教えている有様に記主である花園天皇が憤慨したことが記されている。