Kuchi mo sene sono na bakari o todomeokite kareno no susuki katami ni zo miru

朽ちもせねその名ばかりを留め置きて
枯野の薄形見にぞ見る

Roma-ji: Kuchi mo sene sono na bakari o todomeokite kareno no susuki katami ni zo miru
English Translation: His name never to
decay, only that he left
behind in the world,
and the pampas of the withered
fields I see as his keepsake.
Meaning: Leaving behind only his name, which will never decay, he is gone, and I look upon the pampas grass in the withered field as a keepsake of him.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 800

Headnote: "When I traveled to the province of Mutsu, I saw a mound in the middle of a field that looked more imposing than usual, and when I asked someone, he said this was what they call the tomb of the Middle Captain; when I asked again who the Middle Captain was, he said it was Lord Sanekata; it was very sad; already I had been feeling forlorn, and the frost-withered pampas grass could be faintly seen stretching all around, and I felt that I would have no words to tell of it later"
On a journey through Mutsu the poet saw a conspicuous mound in a field and asked a local man, who said it was what they called the tomb of the Middle Captain. Asked who the Middle Captain was, he said it was Fujiwara no Sanekata, a poet who had gone down as governor of Mutsu and died there. Already feeling forlorn, Saigyō saw frost-withered pampas grass faintly stretching all around and felt he would have no words to tell of it later, and so composed this. Sanekata has left only his undying name, and the pampas grass of the withered field remains as his keepsake, he says.
The poem is included among the laments of the Shinkokinshū and is known as a record of Saigyō's journey to Mutsu.

First line, “kuchi mo sene”: the line of readings has kuchi mo senu, but the main text is followed; taken to mean never decaying.
Second line, “sono na bakari o”: sono na is Sanekata's name; bakari limits, only the name.
Third line, “todomeokite”: leaving it behind in this world; a line of six syllables.
Fourth line, “kareno no susuki”: taking up the frost-withered grass of the headnote; the undecaying name is set against the withering grass.
Fifth line, “katami ni zo miru”: zo is answered by the attributive miru; I see it as his keepsake.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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