山吹の咲きたる野辺のつほすみれ
この春の雨に盛りなりけり
この春の雨に盛りなりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Yamabuki no sakitaru nobe no tsubosumire kono haru no ame ni sakari narikeri
- English Translation
-
Where the kerria
have come into yellow bloom,
in the fields, violets
in the rain of this spring
have come into their prime
- Meaning
- In the fields where the yellow kerria bloom, the little violets have come into their prime in this spring rain.
- Commentary
-
Book Eight Spring Miscellaneous Poems 1444
Headnote: "A poem by Princess Takata [a daughter of Takayasu]"
In fields where yellow kerria bloom, the little violets have reached their prime in the spring rain. The yellow of the kerria, the purple of the violets, and the fields moist with rain are painted in rich color.
The author, Princess Takata, is described in the note to the headnote as a daughter of Prince Takayasu.
The first line presents the yellow kerria blooming in the fields. Kerria also appear in 1435 of this book; that poem catches them reflected in a river, this one blooming in the fields.
The second line, with the continuative "tari," shows that these are fields where kerria are in bloom.
The third line names a kind of violet that grows in the fields. The same word appears in 1449 of this book, where violets in their prime are a figure for love at its height.
The fourth line, which has an extra syllable, names the spring rain that nourishes the violets.
The final line, with the exclamatory "keri," expresses the delight of noticing the violets in their prime.
- Author
- Princess Takata
- Source
- Manyoshu
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