世間も常にしあらねばやどにある
桜の花の散れるころかも
桜の花の散れるころかも
- Roma-ji
-
Yononaka mo tsune ni shi araneba yado ni aru sakura no hana no chireru koro kamo
- English Translation
-
Since in this world, too,
nothing stays as it has been,
in my garden here
the blossoms of the cherry
must now be falling away
- Meaning
- Since nothing in this world stays unchanged, it must be the season when the cherry blossoms in my garden are falling.
- Commentary
-
Book Eight Spring Love Poems 1459
Headnote: "A poem sent by Lady Kume in reply"
Answering Prince Atsumi's question, she replies that since the world is always changing, it must be the time when the cherry blossoms in her garden are falling. To a man who suspects her of a change of heart, she invokes the impermanence of the world, in an answer that may be read either as an evasion or as a hint that it is he who has changed.
The author, Lady Kume, was a woman who exchanged poems with Prince Atsumi; little else is known of her.
The first line means "the world as well."
In the second line, "tsune" means remaining unchanged; with the emphatic "shi," it gives the reason: "since it is not unchanging."
The third line takes up the first line of the preceding poem as it is, speaking of the same cherry.
The fourth line picks up the second line of the preceding poem while naming the cherry that stands for herself.
The final line, with the continuative "ri" and exclamatory "kamo," answers "it must be the time when they fall," accepting his conjecture "are they falling?" as indeed so.
- Author
- Lady Kume
- Source
- Manyoshu
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