食薦敷き青菜煮て来む梁に
むかばき懸けて休むこの君
むかばき懸けて休むこの君
- Roma-ji
-
Sugomo shiki aona nite komu utsuhari ni mukabaki kakete yasumu kono kimi
- English Translation
-
Spread the dinner mat,
greens I'll boil and bring to you,
for on the rafter
you've hung your riding chaps
and rest here, my honored guest.
- Meaning
- Spread the dining mat; I'll boil some greens and bring them, for this gentleman who has hung his riding chaps on the rafter and is resting.
- Commentary
-
Book Sixteen Poems with Tales of Origin and Miscellaneous Poems 3825
Headnote: "A poem on riding chaps, turnip greens, a dining mat and a rafter."
The poem tells of laying out a dining mat and bringing boiled greens for a guest resting with his riding chaps hung on the rafter. The welcome of a traveler just arrived is depicted naturally while all four objects are worked in.
This is one of eight poems by Naga no Okimaro, playful banquet pieces composed on the spot by weaving in the names of things. The wit lies in fitting every object named in the title neatly into a single poem.
Naga no Okimaro was a court poet in the reigns of Empress Jitō and Emperor Monmu, bearing the title Imiki. He left poems composed on imperial outings and many impromptu verses weaving in the names of things.
First line, "sugomo shiki," means "spreading the dining mat," bringing in the dining mat of the theme.
Second line, "aona nite komu," means "I'll boil greens and bring them," bringing in the turnip greens, and the poem pauses here.
Third line, "utsuhari ni," means "on the rafter," bringing in the rafter.
Fourth line, "mukabaki kakete," means "hanging the riding chaps," bringing in the riding chaps.
Final line, "yasumu kono kimi," means "this gentleman resting." Ending on a noun, it closes with the guest's figure, inverted against the second line.
- Author
- Naga no Okimaro
- Source
- Manyoshu
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