八千種に草木を植ゑて時ごとに
咲かむ花をし見つつ偲はな
咲かむ花をし見つつ偲はな
- Roma-ji
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Yachikusa ni kusaki o uete toki goto ni sakamu hana o shi mitsutsu shinowana
- English Translation
-
Of a thousand kinds
I shall plant grasses and trees,
and in each season
gazing on the flowers that bloom,
I shall cherish them in turn
- Meaning
- I will plant grasses and trees of every kind, and gaze on the flowers that bloom in each season, delighting in them.
- Commentary
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Book Twenty Miscellaneous Poems 4314
Headnote: none. The left note reads: "The above poem was composed by Ōtomo no Yakamochi on the twenty-eighth day of the same month."
I will plant grasses and trees of every kind and delight in the flowers that bloom each season: the poem sings of the pleasure of planting a garden. The left note says Yakamochi composed it on the twenty-eighth of the seventh month, the same month as the Tanabata poems. The wish to love flowers as the seasons turn leads on to the following six poems on the flowers of the autumn fields.
The author, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, son of Ōtomo no Tabito, was at this time Junior Assistant Minister of Military Affairs.
The first line, "yachikusa ni," "of countless kinds," shows the richness of what he will plant.
The second line, "kusaki o uete," states the act of planting grasses and trees in the garden.
The third line, "toki goto ni," "in each season," shows his plan to enjoy flowers all year round.
The fourth line, "sakamu hana o shi," with the conjectural mu and intensifier shi, means "the flowers that will bloom."
The closing line, "mitsutsu shinowana," uses shinofu, "to admire," and na of intention: "I will delight in them as I gaze."
- Author
- Otomo no Yakamochi
- Source
- Manyoshu
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