春山の咲きのををりに春菜摘む
妹が白紐見らくしよしも
妹が白紐見らくしよしも
- Roma-ji
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Haruyama no saki no oori ni haruna tsumu imo ga shirahimo miraku shi yoshi mo
- English Translation
-
Amid the spring hills
where the blossoms bend the boughs,
gathering spring greens,
the white cords of my dear girl:
how pleasing just to see them
- Meaning
- Amid the spring hills where blossoms bend the branches, how pleasing it is to see the white cords of the girl gathering spring greens.
- Commentary
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Book Eight Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1421
Headnote: "Two poems by Owari no Muraji [his name is missing]"
In spring hills so full of blossom that the branches bend, the poet delights in seeing the white cords of a girl gathering young greens. The color of the flowering hills and the white cords of her robe form a vivid contrast that conveys the brightness of a spring outing.
The author, Owari no Muraji, was a man of the Owari clan holding the rank-title muraji. The headnote says his name is missing, and it is not known.
The first line, "spring hills," sets the stage of the poem among hills in flower.
The second line means "amid blossoms growing so thick that they bend the branches," describing the whole hillside filled with flowers.
The third line depicts a girl picking spring greens. The phrase "gathering spring greens" also appears in 1427 and 1442 of this book, and the picking of young greens forms one theme of the spring miscellaneous poems.
The fourth line names the white cords of the girl's robe. Setting a touch of white among the colors of the hills, it draws the eye to a single girl.
In the final line, "miraku" means "seeing," and with the emphatic "shi" and exclamatory "mo" the poet frankly voices the joy of looking.
- Author
- Owari no Muraji
- Source
- Manyoshu
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Awayuki ka hadare ni furu to miru made ni nagarae chiru wa nani no hana zo mo
- Next Poem
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Uchinabiku haru kitaru rashi yama no ma no tōki konure no sakiyuku mireba