秋の野の尾花にまじり咲く花の
色にや恋ひむ逢ふよしをなみ
色にや恋ひむ逢ふよしをなみ
- Roma-ji
-
Aki no no no obana ni majiri saku hana no iro ni ya koimu au yoshi o nami
- English Translation
-
In the autumn fields
mingled with the pampas plumes
the flowers bloom in color
shall I show my love like them
since there is no way to meet
- Meaning
- Like the flowers blooming among the pampas plumes of the autumn fields, shall I let my love show its color, since I have no means of meeting you?
- Commentary
-
Book Eleven Love Poems I 497
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
With no means of meeting the beloved, the poet wavers over whether to let the love show openly. The color of wildflowers blooming among the pampas grass of the autumn fields serves as a preface, overlaid with a love that cannot be hidden and spills into view. Against the strong safflower red of the preceding poem, the modest color of flowers half-hidden among the plumes expresses a love tinged with hesitation.
First line, "In the autumn fields": aki no no no presents an autumn scene of open fields.
Second line, "mingled with the pampas plumes": obana are the plumes of pampas grass.
Third line, "the flowers bloom in color": saku hana no, the blooming flowers, and lines one through three form a preface leading to "color" in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "shall I show my love like them": iro ni ya koimu means "shall I love openly?" The particle ya is interrogative and forms a kakari-musubi with mu. Taking up the resolve "let it show its color" of the preceding poem, 496, this becomes a question that keeps its hesitation.
Fifth line, "since there is no way to meet": au yoshi wo nami means "because there is no means of meeting." The pattern wo ... mi expresses cause, giving the reason for the fourth line afterward in an inverted structure.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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Hito shirezu omoeba kurushi kurenai no suetsumuhana no iro ni idenamu
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Waga sono no ume no hotsue ni uguisu no ne ni nakinubeki koi mo suru kana