いとはやも鳴きぬる雁か白露の
いろどる木々も紅葉あへなくに
いろどる木々も紅葉あへなくに
- Roma-ji
-
Ito haya mo nakinuru kari ka shiratsuyu no
irodoru kigi mo momiji aenaku ni - English Translation
-
How early it cries—
the call of the passing wild goose;
though the white dew yet
tints the trees, not fully turned
into the hues of autumn leaves.
- Meaning
- How early the wild goose cries, though the trees, still tinted by white dew, have not yet fully turned to autumn colors.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Autumn Poems (Part One)
The poem expresses surprise that the wild geese have begun to cry so early, even though the trees have not yet fully taken on their autumn colors. The arrival of the geese suddenly makes one aware of the coming of autumn.
“Aenaku ni” derives from “au,” meaning “to be able to,” and here conveys the sense that the leaves have not yet fully changed.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Waga kado ni inaōsedori no naku nabe ni
kesa fuku kaze ni kari wa kinikeri - Next Poem
-
Harugasumi kasumite inishi kari ga ne wa
ima zo naku naru akigiri no ue ni