Ura chikami karetaru matsu no kozue ni wa nami no oto o ya kaze wa karuran

浦近み枯れたる松の梢には
波の音をや風は借るらん

Roma-ji: Ura chikami karetaru matsu no kozue ni wa nami no oto o ya kaze wa karuran
English Translation: Being near the bay,
in the treetops of the pine
that has withered now,
does the wind borrow the sound
of the waves to make its voice?
Meaning: Being so near the bay, does the wind in the tips of the withered pine borrow the sound of the waves?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1001

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
Being near the bay, does the wind in the tips of the withered pine borrow the sound of the waves? the poet asks. A leafless pine makes no pine-wind sound, so the sound heard must be borrowed from the waves, is the conceit. It takes up the pine of the preceding poem.

First line, “ura chikami”: since the bay is near, an adjective stem with mi.
Second line, “karetaru matsu no”: of the withered pine.
Third line, “kozue ni wa”: in its treetops.
Fourth line, “nami no oto o ya”: ya is answered by ran in the fifth line.
Fifth line, “kaze wa karuran”: does the wind borrow it?
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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