on mountain streams
the wind has cast a barrier—
a woven fence of leaves;
they cannot drift away,
these autumn leaves caught fast
- Meaning
- On the mountain river, the barrier the wind has cast is none other than autumn leaves that cannot drift away.
- Commentary
-
Book Five Autumn Poems (Part Two)
Composed on the road crossing the mountains of Shiga.
Also included in the Hyakunin Isshu.
It depicts the scene of fallen leaves caught on rocks and the like in the river, unable to flow on. The wind is personified, as though it had set up a barrier that holds the leaves back from drifting away.
- Author
- Harumichi no Toshi
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- 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
- when the wind blows forth the falling autumn leaves drop— the water so clear; even those yet unfallen are seen deep upon the bottom
- I will pause awhile to gaze, and then make my way across the flowing stream— though leaves fall like the rain, the waters will not rise