山高み常にあらしのふくさとは
にほひもあへず花ぞ散りける
にほひもあへず花ぞ散りける
- Roma-ji
-
Yama takami tsune ni arashi no fuku sato wa nioi mo aezu hana zo chirikeru
- English Translation
-
The mountains so high,
forever the stormy winds
blow upon this village—
before they can show their glow
the blossoms scatter and fall.
- Meaning
- In this village where the mountains are so high that storm winds always blow, the blossoms fall before they have even had time to glow in their full color.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Names of Things 446
Headnote: "Hare's-foot fern"
This poem says that in a village beneath high mountains where storm winds always blow, the blossoms fall before they can reach their full glow. The title "shinobugusa" (hare's-foot fern) is hidden in "shi no fuku sa" across the second and third lines. It sings of the fragility of blossoms in a mountain village and shares a mood with the poem of falling flowers in 435 of this book.
The poet, "Ki no Toshisada," is Ki no Toshisada. He was an official of the early Heian period, and little is known of his career.
First line "Yama takami" means "because the mountains are high," the suffix "mi" on the adjective stem expressing a reason.
Second line "tsune ni arashi no" means "the storm winds always," and the title begins with "shi no."
Third line "fuku sato wa" means "in the village where they blow." With the second line, "shi no fuku sa" hides the title "shinobugusa."
Fourth line "nioi mo aezu" means "without time to show their glow," with "aezu" meaning "unable to fully do."
Fifth line "hana zo chirikeru" closes in the attributive "keru" in answer to "zo," sighing over the blossoms' swift fall.
- Author
- Ki no Toshisada
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Hana no ki ni arazarame domo sakinikeri furinishi ko no mi naru toki mogana
- Next Poem
-
Hototogisu mine no kumo ni ya majirinishi ari to wa kikedo miru yoshi mo naki