秋山の麓をこむる家居には
裾野の萩ぞ籬なりける
裾野の萩ぞ籬なりける
- Roma-ji
-
Akiyama no fumoto o komuru iei ni wa susono no hagi zo magaki narikeru
- English Translation
-
For a dwelling held
in the foothills of the mountains
in the autumn time,
the bush clover on the slopes
is the hedge that rings it round
- Meaning
- For a house nestled at the foot of the autumn mountains, the bush clover blooming on the lower slopes serves as its very hedge.
- Commentary
-
Book Four Autumn Poems I 248
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
For a house nestled at the foot of the autumn mountains, there is no need to build a fence, for the bush clover spreading over the lower slopes serves as the hedge. Overlaying a hedge made by human hands with the natural bush clover, the poem conveys the charm of a mountain dwelling surrounded by flowers.
The author, "Fujiwara no Koreie," was a courtier of the late Heian period. Little is known of his life.
"Magaki zo hana no makura narikeru" in 254 of this book also uses "magaki," a hedge, and the pattern "zo ... narikeru" to link autumn flowers with a hedge, echoing this poem.
First line, "akiyama no": "of the autumn mountains."
Second line, "fumoto o komuru": "komu" means to enclose or hold within: "held within the foothills."
Third line, "iei ni wa": "iei" means a dwelling.
Fourth line, "susono no hagi zo": "susono" are the gentle lower slopes of a mountain, and "zo" links with "keru" in the last line. Following the preceding poem, 247, it treats bush clover.
Fifth line, "magaki narikeru": a "magaki" is a loosely woven hedge of brushwood or bamboo, and "keru," the attributive of "keri" expressing realization, closes with "zo." It ends in the same form as "magaki zo hana no makura narikeru" in 254 of this book.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Koreie
- Source
- Senzai Wakashu
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