Akikaze o somuku mono kara hanasusuki yuku kata o nado maneku naruran - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

秋風をそむくものから花すすき
行く方をなど招くなるらん

Roma-ji: Akikaze o somuku mono kara hanasusuki yuku kata o nado maneku naruran
English Translation: Though it turns its back
on the wind of autumn, why
does the pampas plume
seem to beckon to the place
where the wind goes on its way?
Meaning: Though the plumed pampas grass turns its back on the autumn wind, why does it seem to beckon toward the way the wind is going?
Commentary: Book Three Autumn Poems 192

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The plumed pampas grass bends away from the autumn wind, yet its plumes seem to beckon toward the direction in which the wind is going, and the poet playfully asks why. It is a witty poem that sees the movement of plumes swaying in the wind as the contradictory act of beckoning while turning away.

First line, "akikaze o," means "the autumn wind blowing against it."
Second line, "somuku mono kara," means "though it turns its back," with "mono kara" as a concessive conjunctive particle.
Third line, "hanasusuki," is pampas grass in plume. Following 156 of this book, the beckoning of the pampas grass is sung of again.
Fourth line, "yuku kata o nado," means "why toward where it goes."
Final line, "maneku naruran," means "why does it beckon," with "ran" as an auxiliary of conjecture about cause. It shares its final line with 156; whereas that poem had the grass beckon the maidenflowers, this one has it beckon toward where the wind departs. Near the end of the book, 213 also sings of pampas grass beckoning to the departing autumn.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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