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

Meaning

I will pause to look, and then cross—the autumn leaves may fall like rain, yet the waters will not rise.

Commentary

Book Five Autumn Poems (Part Two)

Composed when the Retired Emperor commanded a poem on a screen painting at the Teishi-in, depicting a man who, about to cross a river, halts beneath trees shedding autumn leaves, holding his horse’s reins.

The poem is written from the perspective of that figure. When rain falls, the river may swell, urging one to hurry across. Yet however much the leaves fall, the water does not rise, so one may linger to admire them before crossing.

Author

Oshikochi no Mitsune

Source

Kokin Wakashu

Other

on mountain streams the wind has cast a barrier— a woven fence of leaves; they cannot drift away, these autumn leaves caught fast
when the wind blows forth the falling autumn leaves drop— the water so clear; even those yet unfallen are seen deep upon the bottom
in the mountain fields on an autumn watchman’s hut the dewdrops that fall— are they not the falling tears of the rice-bearing bird
though no ears appear I guard the mountain rice fields— in my humble dress; there is not a single day I am not soaked with the dew

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

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