Karanishiki Tatsuta no yama mo ima yori wa momiji nagara ni tokiwa naranan - Gosen Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

唐錦たつたの山も今よりは
紅葉ながらに常盤ならなん

Roma-ji: Karanishiki Tatsuta no yama mo ima yori wa momiji nagara ni tokiwa naranan
English Translation: Tatsuta's hills,
where Chinese brocade is cut,
from now on, I pray,
would stay as they are, in leaf,
evergreen in autumn hues
Meaning: From now on, I wish that Mount Tatsuta would stay just as it is in its autumn colors, unchanging forever like the evergreens.
Commentary: Book Seven Autumn Poems III 385

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet wishes that from now on Mount Tatsuta would stay as it is in its autumn colors, unchanging like the evergreens. It expresses the wish that the lovely leaves would remain without falling.
Where 374 of this book called on the evergreen pine not to change its color, this one asks the leaves that have changed color to stay so forever, reversing the conception.
The poet, called "Tsurayuki," is Ki no Tsurayuki. A son of Ki no Mochiyuki, he was the leading compiler of the Kokin Wakashū and wrote its kana preface. He served as governor of Tosa among other posts, is known as the author of the Tosa Diary, and is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.

The first line, "Karanishiki," brocade from China, is a pillow word for "tatsu," since brocade is cut.
In the second line, "tatsu" is a pivot word meaning both "to cut" brocade and the place name "Tatsuta."
The third line, "ima yori wa," means "from now on."
The fourth line, "momiji nagara ni," means "just as it is in autumn color."
In the last line, "tokiwa" means unchanging forever, and "nan" is a particle of wishing: "would that it stayed unchanging."
Author: Ki no Tsurayuki
Source: Gosen Wakashu
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