うち群れていざ我妹子が鏡山
越えて紅葉の散らん影見む
越えて紅葉の散らん影見む
- Roma-ji
-
Uchimurete iza wagimoko ga Kagamiyama koete momiji no chiran kage mimu
- English Translation
-
Let us go together,
come, over Mirror Mountain
like my darling's glass,
and crossing it, behold
the leaves as they scatter down
- Meaning
- Let us go together over Mirror Mountain, like the mirror of my beloved, and see the shapes of the autumn leaves as they scatter.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Autumn Poems III 405
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet invites others to go together over Mount Kagami to see the autumn leaves scatter. From the name Mirror Mountain it draws "kage," image, inviting them to see the falling leaves as if reflected in a mirror.
Like 393 of this book, it sings of the autumn leaves of Mount Kagami and uses words associated with the mirror. Taking up the mountain path of the preceding poem, it becomes an invitation to cross the mountain together.
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, "Uchimurete," means "all together, in a group."
In the second line, "iza" is a word of invitation, and "wagimoko ga," "my beloved's," serves as a preface leading to "kagami," the mirror she holds.
The third line, "Kagamiyama," is a poetic place in Ōmi, its name "kagami" drawn out from the second line.
The fourth line, "koete momiji no," means "crossing over, the autumn leaves."
In the last line, "kage" means shape or image and is an associated word with "kagami," mirror. "Mu" is an auxiliary of intent: "let us see them scatter."
- Author
- Ki no Tsurayuki
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Momijiba o waketsutsu yukeba nishiki kite ie ni kaeru to hito ya miruran
- Next Poem
-
Yamakaze no fuki no manimani momijiba wa kono mo kano mo ni chirinu beranari