かはづなくゐでの山吹ちりにけり
花の盛りにあはまし物を
花の盛りにあはまし物を
- Roma-ji
-
Kawazu naku Ide no yamabuki chirinikeri
hana no sakari ni awamashi mono o - English Translation
-
Where frogs are crying
in Ide, the kerria blooms
have already fallen;
had I but known before,
I would have seen them at their height.
- Meaning
- The kerria blossoms at Ide, where the frogs cry, have already fallen—had I known, I would have come earlier to see them in full bloom.
- Commentary
-
Book II, Spring Poems (Part Two)
Though the poet came all the way to Ide to see the kerria blossoms, they had already fallen; thus comes the regret that, had this been known, one would have come sooner.
“Ide” refers to present-day Ide in Tsuzuki District, Kyoto, known as a place famous for kerria blossoms and frogs.
This poem is attributed in annotations to Tachibana no Kiyotomo.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- Kerria blossoms, do not bloom without reason; we planted you so that we might view you together, yet he does not come tonight.
- On Yoshino River’s bank, kerria blossoms— in the blowing wind, even their reflection below has faded away.
- With kindred hearts, in the springtime hills, together we would roam, and, with no place in mind, spend the night along the way.
- Since spring has come, time and months have passed away like arrows shot forth— so it seems to me, how swiftly they have gone.