Kaoru ka no taesenu haru wa ume no hana fukikuru kaze ya nodokekaruramu - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

薫る香の絶えせぬ春は梅の花
吹きくる風やのどけかるらむ

Roma-ji: Kaoru ka no taesenu haru wa ume no hana fukikuru kaze ya nodokekaruramu
English Translation: In a spring when
the fragrance never ceases,
O blossoms of plum,
is it that the wind that blows
is gentle and serene?
Meaning: In a spring when the fragrance never fades, is it because the wind that blows toward the plum blossoms is so calm and gentle?
Commentary: Book One Spring Poems I 18

Headnote: "Composed on the theme "plum blossoms long fragrant" at the Empress's palace in the Second Month of the second year of Eihō"
Composed in the Second Month of 1082 at the Empress's palace on the theme "plum blossoms long fragrant," this poem looks to the wind for the reason the scent of plum never fades: perhaps the wind blowing on the blossoms is so mild that it does not scatter them. The "long" of the theme is expressed through the gentle spring breeze.
The author, "the Koga Former Chancellor," is Minamoto no Masazane, son of Minister of the Right Minamoto no Akifusa, who rose to Chancellor. Called the Koga Chancellor after his villa at Koga, he is regarded as the founder of the Koga house of the Murakami Genji.

First line, "kaoru ka no": the scent wafting from the plum blossoms.
Second line, "taesenu haru wa": "a spring when it never ceases," expressing the theme's "long."
Third line, "ume no hana": names the source of the scent, toward which the wind of the fourth line blows.
Fourth line, "fukikuru kaze ya": the interrogative "ya" links with "ramu" in the last line.
Fifth line, "nodokekaruramu": "is it because it is calm?" The poet surmises that the wind is gentle and does not scatter the blossoms, so the scent endures.
Author: Minamoto no Masazane
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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