山桜尋ぬと聞くに誘はれぬ
老いの心のあくがるるかな
老いの心のあくがるるかな
- Roma-ji
-
Yamazakura tazunu to kiku ni sasowarenu oi no kokoro no akugaruru kana
- English Translation
-
Hearing you would seek
the cherries of the mountains,
though I was not asked,
this old heart of mine
wanders off to follow
- Meaning
- I heard you were going to seek out the mountain cherries, and though I was not invited, this old heart of mine wanders off after them all the same.
- Commentary
-
Book One Spring Poems I 43
Headnote: "Composed and presented when Retired Emperor Shirakawa went to view the blossoms and did not summon me"
When Retired Emperor Shirakawa went blossom viewing without summoning the poet, he composed this poem and presented it to him. He heard that the Retired Emperor was going to seek out mountain cherries, yet he was not invited; even so, his aged heart wanders off longing for the blossoms. Through his feeling for the flowers he appeals to the Retired Emperor about the loneliness of being left behind.
The author, "the Kyōgoku Former Chancellor," is Fujiwara no Morozane, son of Chancellor Fujiwara no Yorimichi, who served successively as Regent, Chancellor and Grand Minister. He kept his residence on Kyōgoku and was called the Lord of Kyōgoku.
First line, "yamazakura": the mountain cherries the Retired Emperor goes to seek.
Second line, "tazunu to kiku ni": "though I heard you would go seeking them."
Third line, "sasowarenu": "nu" is the attributive of the negative "zu," "not invited," modifying "oi no kokoro" in the fourth line.
Fourth line, "oi no kokoro no": the heart of the aged poet himself.
Fifth line, "akugaruru kana": "akugaru" means for the heart to leave the body and wander. Following 22 and 26 in this book, a heart wandering, lured by blossoms or scent, appears again.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Morozane
- Source
- Senzai Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Izukata ni hana sakinuramu to omou yori yomo no yamabe ni chiru kokoro kana
- Next Poem
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Kage kiyoki hana no kagami to miyuru kana nodoka ni sumeru Shirakawa no mizu