as autumn passes on
beyond the sacred Kannabi
mountain of the gods—
upon the Tatsuta River
it makes offerings of leaves

Meaning

As autumn passes beyond the sacred Kannabi mountain, it makes offerings of leaves upon the Tatsuta River.

Commentary

Book Five Autumn Poems (Part Two)

Composed upon passing Mount Kannabi and crossing the Tatsuta River, seeing the autumn leaves flowing along it.

Seeing the leaves drifting upon the river’s surface, the poet imagines them as offerings made by the goddess of autumn for safe passage. Personifying autumn itself, the poem suggests that as it departs, it sends the leaves downstream as offerings upon the Tatsuta River.

Author

Fukayabu

Source

Kokin Wakashu

Other

since there is a god who makes offerings to Tatsuta the goddess fair— the autumn leaves must fall like sacred streamers scattered
in autumn mountains the reddened leaves as offerings are laid before the gods— even I who dwell here feel as though I were on a journey
upon the white waves autumn leaves drift and float— as I gaze at them they seem a fisher’s boat set adrift upon the sea
if the autumn leaves had not flowed drifting along the Tatsuta River— who then would ever know that autumn had reached its waters

as autumn passes on beyond the sacred Kannabi mountain of the gods— upon the Tatsuta River it makes offerings of leaves

as autumn passes on
beyond the sacred Kannabi
mountain of the gods—
upon the Tatsuta River
it makes offerings of leaves