帰り来る道にぞ今朝は迷ふらん
これになずらふ花なきものを
これになずらふ花なきものを
- Roma-ji
-
Kaerikuru michi ni zo kesa wa mayouran kore ni nazurau hana naki mono o
- English Translation
-
On the road back home,
this morning I shall surely
lose my way, I think—
for there is no flower
that could ever rival this
- Meaning
- This morning I shall surely lose my way on the road back home, for there is no flower that could rival this one.
- Commentary
-
Book Seventeen Miscellaneous Poems III 1221
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
The poet says he will surely lose his way on the road home this morning, for no flower can rival this one. Captivated by a flower beyond compare, he praises its beauty by saying that his reluctance to part will make him lose even the road home.
The poet, "Tsurayuki," is Ki no Tsurayuki. A son of Ki no Mochiyuki, he was the chief compiler of the Kokinshu and wrote its Japanese preface. He is also known as the author of the Tosa Diary, and the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu includes his poem "Hito wa isa kokoro mo shirazu furusato wa."
The first line, "Kaerikuru," means "coming back home."
The second line, "michi ni zo kesa wa," means "on the road this morning," with "zo" an emphatic binding particle.
The third line, "mayouran," means "I shall surely lose my way," closing the "zo" with the attributive "ran." The poem pauses here, and the lower verse is inverted.
The fourth line, "kore ni nazurau," means "that could rival this."
The last line, "hana naki mono o," means "for there is no flower," giving the reason through inversion.
- Author
- Ki no Tsurayuki
- Source
- Gosen Wakashu
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