訪ふ人もあらじと思ひし山里に
花のたよりに人目見るかな
花のたよりに人目見るかな
- Roma-ji
-
Tou hito mo araji to omoishi yamazato ni hana no tayori ni hitome miru kana
- English Translation
-
To this mountain home
where I thought that no one would
ever come to call,
by occasion of the flowers
I now see people's faces.
- Meaning
- In this mountain village where I thought no one would ever call, thanks to the blossoms I now see visitors.
- Commentary
-
Book One Spring Poems 51
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
In a mountain village where the poet had thought no one would ever come, people now visit because the cherries are in bloom, and he rejoices at it. The poem holds a sense of wonder at the flowers' power to draw people.
The author, written as Motosuke, is Kiyohara no Motosuke. The grandson of Kiyohara no Fukayabu and the father of Sei Shōnagon, he took part in compiling the Gosenshū as one of the Five Men of the Pear Chamber and is counted among the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets.
First line, "tou hito mo," indicates visitors.
Second line, "araji to omoishi," with "ji" for negative conjecture, means "I had thought there would be none."
Third line, "yamazato ni," indicates a dwelling far from the town.
Fourth line, "hana no tayori ni," means "by occasion of the flowers," the same line as in poem 13 of this book. Where in poem 13 snow is broken off along with the flowers, here people come because of them.
Final line, "hitome miru kana," means "I see people," with "kana" as an exclamation.
- Author
- Kiyohara no Motosuke
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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Sakuragari ame wa furikinu onajiku wa nuru tomo hana no kage ni kakuremu
- Next Poem
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Hana no ki o ueshi mo shiruku haru kureba waga yado sugite yuku hito zo naki