あだ人のまがきちかうな花植ゑそ
にほひもあへず折りつくしけり
にほひもあへず折りつくしけり
- Roma-ji
-
Adabito no magaki chikō na hana ue so nioi mo aezu oritsukushikeri
- English Translation
-
Near the woven fence
of a fickle-hearted one
plant no flowers there;
before they could bloom in full,
all were broken off and gone.
- Meaning
- Do not plant flowers near the fence of a fickle person; before they could bloom in their beauty, every one was broken off.
- Commentary
-
Book Seven Names of Things 363
Headnote: "Kichikō (balloon flower)"
The poet warns not to plant flowers near the fence of a fickle person, for they were all broken off before they could bloom. The fickle one who picks every flower also suggests the inconstancy of the heart, and the name "kichikō" given in the headnote is hidden in the run of sounds "magaki chikō" in the second line. The headnote names the thing hidden in the poem.
In the Kokinshū too there is a poem by Ki no Tomonori on the topic "kichikō no hana," "Aki chikō no wa narinikeri," which likewise hides the name of the balloon flower in the sounds "chikō."
First line, "adabito no," means "of a fickle person."
Second line, "magaki chikō na," means "near the fence," with "na" answering "so" in the third line to express prohibition. "Magaki chikō" hides the name "kichikō."
Third line, "hana ue so," means "do not plant flowers," the pattern "na ... so" expressing prohibition. The poem pauses here. Following the gentian of the preceding poem, an autumn flower is sung of.
Fourth line, "nioi mo aezu," means "before they could fully bloom in beauty."
Final line, "oritsukushikeri," means "they were all broken off," with "keri" exclamatory.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
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