Fuku kaze no yukue shirasuru mono naraba hana to chiru ni mo okurezaramashi

吹く風の行方知らするものならば
花と散るにも遅れざらまし

Roma-ji: Fuku kaze no yukue shirasuru mono naraba hana to chiru ni mo okurezaramashi
English Translation: If the blowing wind
could only let me know where
she has gone, then I
would not be left behind her,
though she scattered like the blossoms.
Meaning: If the blowing wind could only tell me where she has gone, I would not be left behind, but would scatter with her like the blossoms.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 780

Headnote: "Reply"
This is the Lady Horikawa's reply. If the blowing wind could tell me where she has gone, I would not be left behind but would follow her, who scattered like the blossoms, she writes. Taking up 'word of the wind,' 'scattered like blossoms' and 'where she has gone' from the preceding poem, she expresses her deep devotion to the late empress.

First line, “fuku kaze no”: taking up 'kaze no tsute' in the preceding poem.
Second line, “yukue shirasuru”: making known where she has gone, taking up 'yukue o.'
Third line, “mono naraba”: if it were such a thing.
Fourth line, “hana to chiru ni mo”: scattering like the blossoms, taking up 'hana to chirinishi.'
Fifth line, “okurezaramashi”: mashi is counterfactual, I would not be left behind.
Author: Taikenmon-in no Horikawa
Source: Sankashu
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