あはれてふ事をあまたにやらじとや
春におくれてひとりさくらむ
春におくれてひとりさくらむ
- Roma-ji
-
Aware chō koto o amata ni yaraji to ya
haru ni okurete hitori sakuramu - English Translation
-
Perhaps it would not
share the words of praise—
“how lovely”—
so, lagging behind the spring,
it blooms alone.
- Meaning
- Perhaps it wished not to share the many words of admiration, and so, lingering after spring has passed, it blooms alone.
- Commentary
-
Book III, Summer Poems
A poem composed upon seeing a cherry tree in bloom in the fourth month.
Though cherry blossoms are widely praised for their beauty, this one blooms late, as if to keep all such praise to itself, standing alone after the passing of spring.
- Author
- Ki no Toshisada
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- Even when one does not think that spring ends today, still— how can one easily rise from beneath the blossoms’ shade?
- At my dwelling, the wisteria waves by the pond have bloomed; when will the mountain cuckoo come and sing?
- Awaiting the Fifth Month, O mountain cuckoo, beat your wings— and even now, I pray, sing in last year’s voice.
- When the Fifth Month comes, your song will lose its rarity, O cuckoo; before that time arrives, let me hear your fresh young voice.