Though bush clover blooms
may be falling in the fields,
through dew and white frost
I will go on, drenched as I am,
even though the night grows late.
- Meaning
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Though the bush clover flowers may be falling in the fields, I will go on, wet with dew and frost, even as the night deepens.
- Commentary
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Book Four Autumn Poems (Part One)
A similar poem appears in the Man’yōshū: “In fields where autumn bush clover blooms and scatters, come to me though you be wet with evening mist, even if the night grows late.” That poem is from a woman’s voice, whereas this one is composed from a man’s perspective.
It expresses the feeling that neither cold nor the lateness of night matters when going to meet a beloved woman.
The auxiliary “ramu” in “chiru ramu” conveys conjecture, while “mu” in “yukamu” expresses intention. The repetition of the sound “mu” in both halves gives the poem a pleasing rhythm that matches its meaning.
- Author
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Unknown Poet
- Source
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Kokin Wakashu
- Other
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