移ろふは下葉ばかりと見しほどに
やがてもあきになりにけるかな
やがてもあきになりにけるかな
- Roma-ji
-
Utsurou wa shitaba bakari to mishi hodo ni yagate mo aki ni narinikeru kana
- English Translation
-
While I thought it was
only the lower leaves that
were changing their hue,
all at once it has turned to
autumn, and you've tired of me.
- Meaning
- While I thought it was only the lower leaves that were changing, it has turned all at once to autumn, and you have grown weary of me.
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems III 840
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
The poem says that while one thought only the lower leaves were changing color, it became autumn all at once, and the beloved has wholly tired of one. Pivoting "aki" on the season "autumn" and the heart's "weariness," it laments that while one overlooked a heart changing little by little, one found it had drifted away.
The author, "Chūgū no Naishi," is the name of a lady-in-waiting serving as a naishi to an empress, and there is no settled view on whom it refers to. The naishi were female officials of the Palace Attendants' Office who conveyed messages to the emperor and oversaw court ceremonial.
First line, "utsurou wa," means "what changes color," overlaid with a change of heart. It shares the word "utsurou" with the fourth line of 842, "utsurowamu to wa."
Second line, "shitaba bakari to," means "only the lower leaves." It shares "shitaba" with the second line of 838, "shitaba o mizu wa."
Third line, "mishi hodo ni," means "while I was watching."
Fourth line, "yagate mo aki ni," follows "yagate," straightaway, with "aki" a pivot word meaning the season "autumn" and the heart's "weariness."
Final line, "narinikeru kana," means "it has become so," with "keru" an exclamation of realization.
- Author
- Chūgū no Naishi
- Source
- Shui Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Shime yuwanu nobe no akihagi kaze fukeba tofushi kakufushi mono o koso omoe
- Next Poem
-
Koto no ha mo shimo ni wa aezu karenikeri ko ya aki hatsuru shirushi naruran