向つ峰の若桂の木下枝取り
花待つい間に嘆きつるかも
花待つい間に嘆きつるかも
- Roma-ji
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Mukatsuo no wakakatsura no ki shizue tori hana matsu ima ni nagekitsuru kamo
- English Translation
-
On the facing peak
stands a young katsura tree;
its lower bough I take,
and while waiting for its flowers
how I have sighed and grieved!
- Meaning
- Taking hold of a lower bough of the young katsura tree on the facing peak, I have sighed while waiting for it to bloom.
- Commentary
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Book Seven Allegorical Poems 1359
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "On Trees"
The poet takes a lower bough of the young katsura tree on the facing peak and sighs while waiting for its flowers. The young katsura stands for a girl still young, and the poem laments the impatience of waiting for her to grow up.
It is the last of the poems under the heading "On Trees." The first line, "On the facing peak," corresponds to the first line of poem 1356 in this book. The poet is unknown.
The first line, "On the facing peak," corresponds to the first line of poem 1356 in this book.
The second line, "stands a young katsura tree," gives the figure for a young girl.
The third line, "its lower bough I take," means taking hold of a low branch.
The fourth line, "while waiting for its flowers," has the prefix "i" before "ma," interval.
The final line, "how I have sighed and grieved," ends with the exclamatory "kamo."
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Hashikiyashi wagie no kemomo moto shigeku hana nomi sakite narazu arame ya mo
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Iki no o ni omoeru ware o yamajisa no hana ni ka kimi ga utsuroinuramu