Maki no ha no shinau Se no yama shinowazute waga koeyukeba konoha shirikemu

真木の葉のしなふ背の山偲はずて
我が越え行けば木の葉知りけむ

Roma-ji: Maki no ha no shinau Se no yama shinowazute waga koeyukeba konoha shirikemu
English Translation: True trees' leaves hang low,
supple on the Mount of Se—
without praising it
as I made my way across,
did the leaves know how I felt?
Meaning: As I crossed Mount Se, where the leaves of the fine trees bend so gracefully, without pausing to admire it—did the leaves know?
Commentary: Book Three Miscellaneous Poems 291

Headnote: "A poem by Oda no Tsukau on Mount Se"
This was composed on crossing Mount Se in Kii. Having crossed the lovely, leafy mountain without stopping to admire it, the poet wonders whether the leaves knew and bore a grudge—regret and apology toward the mountain. It is placed after poems 285 and 286, continuing the poems on Mount Se.
The poet, Oda no Tsukau, lived in the Nara period, but little is known of him.

First line "True trees' leaves hang low": maki are fine trees such as cedar and cypress.
Second line "supple on the Mount of Se": shinau means to bend supply, the leaves thick and the branches bowing; shinau echoes shinou in the next line.
Third line "without praising it": shinou means to cherish and admire, here negated.
Fourth line "as I made my way across" means "because I crossed."
Fifth line "did the leaves know how I felt": kemu is past conjecture, ending with the mountain personified.
Author: Oda no Tsukau
Source: Manyoshu
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