Koki iro ga itsu hata usuku utsurowamu hana ni kokoro mo tsukezaran kamo - Shui Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

濃き色がいつはた薄くうつろはむ
花に心もつけざらんかも

Roma-ji: Koki iro ga itsu hata usuku utsurowamu hana ni kokoro mo tsukezaran kamo
English Translation: The deepest colors,
sometime, too, will turn pale
and fade away;
shall I, then, not give my heart
to such a flower as this?
Meaning: Even a deep color will someday fade and pale again; shall I not, then, give my heart to such a flower?
Commentary: Book Seven Names of Things 359

Headnote: "Kaitsuhata (iris)"
The poet says that even deep colors will one day pale and fade, and wonders whether he should not give his heart to such a flower. The fickle color of the flower suggests the changeability of the human heart, and the name "kaitsuhata" given in the headnote is hidden in the run of sounds "ga itsu hata" from the first to the second line. The headnote names the thing hidden in the poem.

First line, "koki iro ga," means "the deep color." Its final "ga" with "itsu hata" in the second line hides the name "kaitsuhata."
Second line, "itsu hata usuku," means "someday again, pale," with "hata" meaning "again."
Third line, "utsurowamu," means "will fade," with "mu" a conjectural auxiliary. The poem pauses here.
Fourth line, "hana ni kokoro mo," means "my heart to such a flower."
Final line, "tsukezaran kamo," means "shall I not give it," with "zara" negative, "n" an auxiliary of intention, and "kamo" a question tinged with exclamation.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Shui Wakashu
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