Sumizome no koromo uki yo no hanazakari ori wasurete mo oritekeru kana

English Translation

Robes dyed ink-black,
yet in this sorrowful world
blossoms at their height—
forgetting the time of year,
I broke a branch after all.

Meaning

Though it is a time for robes dyed ink-black, this sorrowful world is in full bloom; forgetting the season of mourning, I have broken off a branch of blossoms.

Commentary

Book Eight Lament Poems 760

Headnote: "Sent to Lord Michinobu, attached to a branch of cherry blossoms, in the spring of the year of imperial mourning, Shōryaku 2."
This is the second poem of the sequence on partings by death in spring, and the opening poem of an exchange. It says that although it is a time for mourning robes, in this sorrowful world in full bloom the poet forgot the season and broke off a branch of blossoms. According to the headnote, it was sent to Lord Michinobu attached to a cherry branch in the spring of the mourning year of Shōryaku 2.
A grandson of Minister of the Left Fujiwara no Morotada and the son of Chamberlain Fujiwara no Sadatoki, the author served as a captain of the Inner Palace Guards and other posts, then became Governor of Mutsu and died there. He is one of the Thirty-Six Later Poetic Immortals. "Lord Michinobu" is Fujiwara no Michinobu, a close friend of the author.
The scene is spring of Shōryaku 2 (991), when the cherries were in full bloom, set in the capital.
The direct occasion is the breaking of a cherry branch in the spring of imperial mourning and sending it to Lord Michinobu.
In the second month of Shōryaku 2, Retired Emperor En'yū died, and his son, Emperor Ichijō, went into mourning for his father. "Ryōan" is such a period in which the emperor mourns a parent, and courtiers too wore mourning robes.
Lord Michinobu replied with the next poem, 761.

The first line, "sumizome no," is the black of cloth dyed as if with ink, the color of mourning robes. It modifies "koromo" in the second line.
In the second line, "koromo uki yo no," "koromo" is a pivot word meaning both "robes," continuing "sumizome," and "koro mo," "the time too." It runs on: at this time of mourning robes, in this sorrowful world.
The third line, "hanazakari," breaks off on a noun, contrasting the dark color of mourning with the brightness of blossoms at their height.
In the fourth line, "ori wasurete mo," "ori" means the season. The line means forgetting that it is a time of mourning.
In the last line, "oritekeru kana," "ori" means breaking off a branch, repeating the sound of "ori" in the fourth line with a different meaning. "Tekeri" marks completion with exclamation, and "kana" is exclamatory. The line conveys the beauty of blossoms that draws the heart even in mourning, and the poet's feeling at having broken off a branch in spite of himself. Michinobu's reply in the next poem answers by taking up this word "hana."

Author

Fujiwara no Sanekata

Source

Shin Kokin Wakashu

Other