When I see the moon,
my thoughts scatter into grief—
in countless ways;
though this autumn is not mine
alone, it feels so to my heart.

Meaning

When I look upon the moon, sorrow rises in countless ways, though this autumn does not belong to me alone.

Commentary

Book Four Autumn Poems (Part One)

This poem was composed and paired at a poetry contest held at the residence of Prince Koretada.

While the feeling of sorrow upon seeing the moon is a familiar expression, the lower lines—“though this autumn is not mine alone”—carry a deeper nuance, as if the speaker is trying to persuade themselves, yet still feels as though autumn exists only to sadden them.

A contrast is also employed between “in countless ways” (chiji ni) and “myself alone,” evoking the rhetorical pairing of many and one.

This poem is also included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

Author

Oe no Chisato

Source

Kokin Wakashu

Other

White clouds drift on— with beating wings they cross and fly, the passing wild geese; even their number is seen in the moon of an autumn night.
It must be midnight— the night has grown deep, it seems; as the wild geese cry, across that sounding autumn sky the moon is seen to pass along.
In the moon above, the cassia tree there too, perhaps, in autumn still turns to crimson leaves—so that its light shines all the more bright.
On an autumn night, the moonlight shines so bright that even Kurabu’s mount— the mountain of deep darkness— seems as though I could cross it.

When I see the moon, my thoughts scatter into grief— in countless ways; though this autumn is not mine alone, it feels so to my heart.

When I see the moon,
my thoughts scatter into grief—
in countless ways;
though this autumn is not mine
alone, it feels so to my heart.