Tanome okishi asaji ga tsuyu ni aki kakete ko no ha furishiku yado no kayoiji - Shin Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

頼めおきし浅茅が露に秋かけて
木の葉降りしく宿の通ひ路

Roma-ji: Tanome okishi asaji ga tsuyu ni aki kakete ko no ha furishiku yado no kayoiji
English Translation: You promised to come,
yet from the dew on low reeds
on into autumn
leaves have fallen thick upon
the path that leads to my door.
Meaning: You promised you would come, but while I waited from the time of dew on the low reeds on into autumn, fallen leaves have covered the path that leads to my house.
Commentary: Book Twelve Love Poems II 1128

Headnote: "When presenting fifty poems."
This is the first of three poems on waiting for love. The beloved promised to come, but as the speaker waited from the time of dew on the low reeds into autumn, the path to the house was buried under fallen leaves. According to the headnote, it is one of fifty poems presented to Retired Emperor Go-Toba.
The author, "Former Major Counselor Tadayoshi," is Fujiwara no Tadayoshi. The son of Regent Konoe Motozane, he rose to major counselor.

The first line, "tanome okishi," means "having led me to rely on it," that is, the beloved had promised to visit. It is a hypermetric line of six syllables.
The second line, "asaji ga tsuyu ni," means "in the dew on the low reeds," suggesting both a neglected dwelling and the tears of one who waits.
The third line, "aki kakete," means "on into autumn," showing a long wait from the time of the promise until autumn.
The fourth line, "ko no ha furishiku," means "where leaves have fallen thick." It is the same line as in poem 1086 of this book; there the fallen leaves covered a valley stream, here they cover a path no visitor walks.
The last line, "yado no kayoiji," is the path by which one comes to the house, and the poem ends on a noun. The path left strewn with leaves shows that the beloved never once came.
Author: Fujiwara no Tadayoshi
Source: Shin Kokin Wakashu
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