山田もる秋のかりいほに置く露は
いなほせ鳥の涙なりけり
いなほせ鳥の涙なりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Yamada moru aki no kariio ni oku tsuyu wa
inaosedori no namida narikeri - English Translation
-
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
- Meaning
- The dew that falls upon the autumn watch-hut in the mountain fields—are they the tears of the rice-bearing bird?
- Commentary
-
Book Five Autumn Poems (Part Two)
A poem composed for a poetry contest at the residence of Prince Koretada.
A temporary hut is built to guard the mountain rice fields from animals; the poem imagines that the dew falling upon it is in fact the tears shed by the rice-bearing bird.
The “rice-bearing bird” (inaose-dori) is one of the three legendary birds of the Kokin tradition, and its true nature is unknown.
- Author
- Mibu no Tadamine
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
-
- 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
- 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
- in fields already reaped the shoots that rise anew yet put forth no ears— is it that even the world has wearied now beyond all