Itsu yori ka momiji no iro wa somu beki to shigure ni kumoru sora ni towaba ya

いつよりか紅葉の色は染むべきと
時雨に曇る空に問はばや

Roma-ji: Itsu yori ka momiji no iro wa somu beki to shigure ni kumoru sora ni towaba ya
English Translation: When will it begin,
the dyeing of the autumn leaves,
I would like to ask
of the sky now clouding over
with the chill of autumn showers.
Meaning: I would like to ask the sky, clouded with autumn showers, from when the colors of the autumn leaves are meant to begin.
Commentary: Autumn Poems 472

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poet would like to ask the sky clouded with autumn showers when the leaves are meant to begin taking on their autumn colors. Since the showers were thought to dye the leaves, he questions the sky that sends them about the season of autumn leaves.
From here poems on autumn leaves follow. It echoes 301, where at the first showers the poet already imagines the autumn leaves, and here the heart longing for the leaves to begin is expressed as a question to the sky.

First line, “itsu yori ka”: from when, with ka a question particle.
Second line, “momiji no iro wa”: the color of the leaves turning red and yellow.
Third line, “somu beki to”: when they ought to be dyed, beki expressing what is expected.
Fourth line, “shigure ni kumoru”: clouded with showers, drawing on the belief that the showers dye the leaves.
Fifth line, “sora ni towaba ya”: baya expresses the speaker's wish, I would like to ask the sky.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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