植ゑし植ゑば秋なき時や咲かざらむ
花こそ散らめ根さへ枯れめや
花こそ散らめ根さへ枯れめや
- Roma-ji
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Ueshi ueba aki naki toki ya sakazaramu
hana koso chirame ne sae kareme ya - English Translation
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Having planted it,
If there were no autumn time,
Would it fail to bloom?
Though the flowers may fall away,
Will even the roots wither?
- Meaning
- Since I have carefully planted it, unless there were no autumn at all, it will surely bloom; though the flowers may scatter, will even the roots wither? Surely they will not.
- Commentary
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51. Having Planted It
A certain man composed this poem when he planted chrysanthemums in the garden of another’s residence.
It was offered as a courteous greeting when he planted the chrysanthemums at someone’s request, saying that because he had planted them with all his heart, they would bloom beautifully each autumn.
He had long enjoyed viewing these chrysanthemums in his own home year after year, and having divided the roots and sent them as a gift, he must have naturally wished that they would also bloom beautifully where they were delivered.
This poem is included in the Kokinshū, in the section “Autumn, Part Two,” as a poem by Ariwara no Narihira.
- Source
- Ise Monogatari
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