Tazunekite kototou hito no naki yado ni konoma no tsuki no kage zo sashikuru

尋ね来て言問ふ人のなき宿に
木の間の月の影ぞさし来る

Roma-ji: Tazunekite kototou hito no naki yado ni konoma no tsuki no kage zo sashikuru
English Translation: To this dwelling where
no one ever comes to call
and speak a word to me,
through the trees the moon sends
its light shining in to me.
Meaning: Into the dwelling where no one comes to call and speak with me, the light of the moon comes shining through the trees.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 949

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
Into the dwelling where no one comes to call and speak, the moonlight comes shining through the trees, the poet says, picturing the moon as the only visitor to his solitary home and taking up the moon as friend from the preceding poem.

First line, “tazunekite”: coming to visit.
Second line, “kototou hito no”: kototou is to speak to, to call on.
Third line, “naki yado ni”: in a dwelling where there is none.
Fourth line, “konoma no tsuki no”: of the moon through the trees.
Fifth line, “kage zo sashikuru”: zo is answered by the attributive kuru; its light shines in.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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