classic waka stream

あしひきの山田のそほづおのれさへ
我を欲してふうれはしきこと
Roma-ji

Ashihiki no yamada no sohozu onore sae ware o hoshi chō urewashiki koto

English Translation
In the mountain fields,
foot-dragging, the scarecrow stands—
even you, it seems,
say that you would have me too,
what a sorry thing it is
Meaning
You scarecrow of the mountain paddies, even you say you want me. How very dismaying.
Commentary
Book Nineteen Miscellaneous Forms 1027

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
Likening a suitor to a scarecrow in a mountain field, the speaker jokingly laments that even such a figure should come courting. Bringing the lowly word "sohozu," scarecrow, into a poem gives it its haikai quality.
The author is unknown and is recorded as "Anonymous."

First line, "Ashihiki no," is a pillow word for "yama," mountain.
Second line, "yamada no sohozu," is the scarecrow standing in a mountain paddy.
Third line, "onore sae," uses the disparaging "onore," you, with additive "sae": even you.
Fourth line, "ware o hoshi chō," means saying that you want me; "chō" contracts "to iu."
Fifth line, "urewashiki koto," means how dismaying, ending on a noun.
Author
Unknown Poet
Source
Kokin Wakashu
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