白露の変はるも何か惜しからん
ありての後もやや憂きものを
ありての後もやや憂きものを
- Roma-ji
-
Shiratsuyu no kawaru mo nani ka oshikaran arite no nochi mo yaya uki mono o
- English Translation
-
That the white dew changes,
why should I find it a pity—
even when it stays,
lingering on, it only grows
little by little sadder
- Meaning
- Why should I mourn that the white dew changes and fades? Even if it lingers on, it only grows more sorrowful little by little.
- Commentary
-
Book Six Autumn Poems II 279
Headnote: "When the flowers before the Teiji-in were most charming with morning dew upon them, he summoned someone to see them."
The poet says there is no need to regret that the white dew vanishes, since even what lingers on grows sadder little by little. Through the fleeting dew, it expresses the pain of living long.
According to the headnote, it was composed when the morning dew lay beautifully on the flowers before the Teiji-in and he summoned someone to see them. The next poem is Ise's reply, which shows that it was Ise whom he summoned.
The poet, given as "a poem by the Cloistered Emperor," is Retired Emperor Uda. A son of Emperor Kōkō, he abdicated in favor of Emperor Daigo and then took holy orders. He lived at the Teiji-in and held many poetry contests.
The first line, "Shiratsuyu no," means "the white dew," pointing to the morning dew on the flowers.
In the second line, "kawaru" refers to the dew vanishing and changing. "Ka" is a rhetorical particle.
The third line, "oshikaran," means "why should it be a pity?"—meaning it is not. "Ka" in the second line and the attributive "n" form a kakarimusubi pattern, and the poem pauses here.
The fourth line, "arite no nochi mo," means "even after living on," overlaying dew that does not vanish with a human life.
In the last line, "yaya" means "little by little," and "mono o" is an adversative particle tinged with a sigh: "though it only grows sadder."
- Author
- Retired Emperor Uda
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Ōkata mo aki wa wabishiki toki naredo tsuyukekaruran sode o shi zo omou
- Next Poem
-
Uetatete kimi ga shime yuu hana nareba tama to miete ya tsuyu mo okuran