春雨のふるは涙かさくら花
ちるををしまぬ人しなければ
ちるををしまぬ人しなければ
- Roma-ji
-
Harusame no furu wa namida ka sakurabana
chiru o oshimanu hito shi nakereba - English Translation
-
Is it spring rain
that softly falls—or tears,
for cherry blossoms,
since there is no one
who does not grieve their scattering?
- Meaning
- Is the softly falling spring rain perhaps tears? For there is no one who does not grieve the scattering of cherry blossoms.
- Commentary
-
Book II, Spring Poems (Part Two)
The poem likens spring rain to the tears of those who lament the falling of cherry blossoms; or perhaps, because the spring rain scatters the blossoms, people are moved to tears.
In another text, it is said to have been composed at a poetry contest held at the residence of the Ninna Middle Captain’s consort.
- Author
- Otomo no Kuronushi
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Yama takami mitsutsu waga koshi sakurabana
kaze wa kokoro ni makasu beranari - Next Poem
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Sakurabana chirinuru kaze no nagori ni wa
mizu naki sora ni nami zo tachikeru