Niwa no omo ni chirite tsumoreru momijiba wa kokonoe ni shiku nishiki narikeri - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

庭の面に散りて積もれる紅葉葉は
九重に敷く錦なりけり

Roma-ji: Niwa no omo ni chirite tsumoreru momijiba wa kokonoe ni shiku nishiki narikeri
English Translation: Upon the garden
fallen and lying in heaps,
the autumn leaves
are a brocade spread throughout
the ninefold palace grounds
Meaning: The autumn leaves fallen and heaped upon the garden are a brocade spread layer upon layer through the ninefold palace.
Commentary: Book Five Autumn Poems II 369

Headnote: "Composed on the topic 'Falling Leaves in the Palace Garden' in the reign of Emperor Konoe"
Composed in the reign of Emperor Konoe on the topic "Falling Leaves in the Palace Garden." The autumn leaves that have fallen and piled up in the palace garden, the poet says, are a brocade spread layer upon layer within the ninefold palace. Likening the fallen leaves to brocade, he praises the splendor of the palace garden.
The author, "Fujiwara no Kinshige Ason," was the son of Fujiwara no Michisue and a poet of the cloistered-rule period.

First line, "niwa no omo ni": "omo" is the surface, "upon the garden," giving the topic's "palace garden."
Second line, "chirite tsumoreru": "ru" is the attributive of the continuative "ri," "fallen and lying piled."
Third line, "momijiba wa": presenting the subject, with the likeness given in the lower verse.
Fourth line, "kokonoe ni shiku": "kokonoe," ninefold, means the imperial palace, and also echoes "layer upon layer." Like "chirishiku" in 364 and 365 of this book, it sings of leaves spread over the ground.
Fifth line, "nishiki narikeri": "keri" expresses realization, "it was brocade," closing on the likeness.
Author: Fujiwara no Kinshige
Source: Senzai Wakashu
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