Naki ato mo kyō made wa nao nokorikeru o asu ya wakare o soete shinoban

亡き跡も今日まではなほ残りけるを
明日や別れを添へて偲ばん

Roma-ji: Naki ato mo kyō made wa nao nokorikeru o asu ya wakare o soete shinoban
English Translation: What he left behind
has lingered on until today,
but from tomorrow,
adding our partings as well,
will we remember him so?
Meaning: The traces of the departed have lingered until today, but from tomorrow will we remember him with the sorrow of our own partings added on?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 813

Headnote: "On the same day, sent to Noritsuna"
On the same day that Narimichi's services ended and the monks went home, the poet sent this to a man named Noritsuna. Noritsuna seems to have served close to Narimichi, but little is known of him. The traces of the departed lingered until today, but from tomorrow will we remember him with our own partings added? he asks.

First line, “naki ato mo”: what the departed left behind.
Second line, “kyō made wa nao”: still, until today; a line of six syllables.
Third line, “nokorikeru o”: o is concessive, though they lingered; a line of six syllables.
Fourth line, “asu ya wakare o”: ya is answered by n in the fifth line; tomorrow set against today in the second line.
Fifth line, “soete shinoban”: will we remember him with this added?
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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