霞立つ春日の里の梅の花
花に問はむと我が思はなくに
花に問はむと我が思はなくに
- Roma-ji
-
Kasumi tatsu kasuga no sato no ume no hana hana ni towamu to waga omowanaku ni
- English Translation
-
Where the haze rises,
in the village of Kasuga,
O blossoms of plum,
only for your flowers' sake
I never meant to visit
- Meaning
- O plum blossoms of Kasuga village where the haze rises: I never meant to visit only for the sake of the flowers.
- Commentary
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Book Eight Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1438
Headnote: "A poem by Ōtomo no Sukune Surugamaro"
Calling to the plum blossoms of Kasuga village, the poet says he never meant to visit only for the flowers. The plum is read as a figure for a lovely girl, and the poem expresses a sincere heart that does not come courting out of passing fancy.
The author, Ōtomo no Surugamaro, was an official of the Nara period said to be a grandson of Ōtomo no Miyuki. He is said to have married a daughter of Lady Ōtomo no Sakanoue, and he later served as Inspector of Mutsu, among other posts.
The first line, "where the haze rises," is a pillow word for "Kasuga."
The second line names the village at the foot of Mount Kasuga in Nara.
The third line is an address, and the poem pauses here. The first three lines are the same as in the preceding poem, 1437; whereas that poem grieved over the flowers scattering, this one treats them as the object of love.
The fourth line means "to visit for the sake of the flowers," taking up "plum blossoms" of the third line as "flowers" and repeating the same word.
The final line, with "nakuni," denies the thought while leaving a lingering feeling. It pleads that his feeling is not an outward flower-viewing but true devotion.
- Author
- Ōtomo no Surugamaro
- Source
- Manyoshu
- Prev Poem
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Kasumi tatsu kasuga no sato no ume no hana yama no arashi ni chirikosu na yume
- Next Poem
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Toki wa ima wa haru ni narinu to miyuki furu tōyama no he ni kasumi tanabiku