cherry blossoms
scatter, whirl, and cloud the way—
so that the path
by which old age is said to come
may lose itself and stray
- Meaning
- Cherry blossoms, scatter and swirl, clouding the way—so that the path by which old age is said to come may lose its way.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Felicitations
A poem composed at a fortieth-year celebration for Fujiwara no Mototsune, held at the Kujō residence.
By wishing that the falling cherry blossoms might confuse the road by which old age arrives, the poem expresses the hope that the recipient’s vigor and prosperity will continue, keeping the approach of old age at bay.
- Author
- Ariwara no Yukihira
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Other
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- thus as I am now in one way or another I live lingering on still— if only there were a way to meet your eight thousand years
- by the mighty gods was this staff perhaps cut forth— as I take it up now even the slope of a thousand years seems one I may yet cross
- from Kame-no-o along the rooted mountain rocks falling, the cascade— its white jeweled drops, could they be the count of your thousand years
- idly passing by the months and days I do not feel— yet when I behold the spring spent gazing at blossoms how few such seasons there are