花のかを風のたよりにたぐへてぞ
鶯さそふしるべにはやる
鶯さそふしるべにはやる
- Roma-ji
-
Hana no ka o kaze no tayori ni taguete zo
uguisu sasou shirube ni wa yaru - English Translation
-
The scent of flowers,
entrusting it to the wind,
I send it along—
a guide that hastens to lead
the bush warbler forth.
- Meaning
- I entrust the blooming plum’s fragrance to the wind as a messenger, sending it as a guide to lure the bush warbler out.
- Commentary
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Spring Songs, Book One
A poem from the poetry contest at court in the reign of Kanpyō.
Though the plum, a spring sight, is already in bloom, the bush warbler, another sign of spring, has not yet begun to sing.
The poet imagines that, if the plum’s fragrance were sent along with the wind, the bush warbler would notice and come forth—an instance of personification.
- Author
- Ki no Tomonori
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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