a man in loneliness
who comes apart to stand
beneath a certain tree—
even the shade he trusted
is gone, the leaves all fallen

Meaning

For the lonely man who would especially come to stand beneath this tree, even the shade he relied upon is gone—the autumn leaves have all fallen.

Commentary

Book Five Autumn Poems (Part Two)

Composed while standing beneath the shade of the trees at Unrin-in.

It tells of a man in distress who had hoped to rely on the tree, yet its autumn leaves have fallen and even its shade is gone.

“Unrin-in” was a temple in Murasakino, Kyoto, where Prince Tsuneyasu, the seventh son of Emperor Montoku, resided. It suggests that the poet, who had likely been under the prince’s protection, laments the loss of the one he depended upon.

Author

Sojo Henjo

Source

Kokin Wakashu

Other

the blowing autumn wind seemed in many varied hues— so it appeared; it is but the falling leaves of the trees in autumn time
warp threads of white frost and weft threads of the dew— how weak they must be; the brocade of the mountain once woven, at once falls apart
the autumn leaves flow on and come to rest at the river’s mouth— there, do waves arise deeply dyed in crimson
even in ages of gods never once has it been heard— the Tatsuta River binding its flowing waters in deep-dyed scarlet

a man in loneliness who comes apart to stand beneath a certain tree— even the shade he trusted is gone, the leaves all fallen

a man in loneliness
who comes apart to stand
beneath a certain tree—
even the shade he trusted
is gone, the leaves all fallen