身にかへてあやなく花を惜しむかな
生けらば後の春もこそあれ
生けらば後の春もこそあれ
- Roma-ji
-
Mi ni kaete ayanaku hana o oshimu kana ikeraba nochi no haru mo koso are
- English Translation
-
As if in exchange
for my life, I grieve, without
reason, for the flowers;
yet if I live, there will be
other springs that follow on.
- Meaning
- I grieve over the blossoms senselessly, as if I would give my life for them; yet if I live, there will be other springs to come.
- Commentary
-
Book One Spring Poems 54
Headnote: "When poems on regretting the cherry blossoms were composed at the house of the Provisional Middle Counselor Yoshichika"
The poet grieves over the blossoms as if he would give his life for them, then reflects that this makes no sense, since if he lives there will be flowers again next spring. The intensity of regret for the flowers and the reason that calmly observes it stand side by side in one poem. According to the headnote, it was composed when poems on regretting the cherry blossoms were written at the house of the Provisional Middle Counselor Fujiwara no Yoshichika.
Fujiwara no Nagatō was the son of Fujiwara no Tomoyasu and the younger brother of the Mother of Michitsuna, author of the Kagerō Diary. Known also as the teacher of the monk Nōin, he is counted among the Thirty-Six Later Immortal Poets.
First line, "mi ni kaete," means "in exchange for my own life."
Second line, "ayanaku hana o," with "ayanaku" meaning "without reason," recalls "ayanashi" and "ayana" in poems 16 and 31 of this book.
Third line, "oshimu kana," ends with the exclamatory "kana," and the poem pauses after the third line.
Fourth line, "ikeraba nochi no," means "if I live, the later."
Final line, "haru mo koso are," uses "koso" with the perfective "are," emphasizing that there will be later springs.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Nagato
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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