Nani to naku seri to kiku koso aware nare tsumiken hito no kokoro shirarete

何となく芹と聞くこそあはれなれ
摘みけん人の心知られて

Roma-ji: Nani to naku seri to kiku koso aware nare tsumiken hito no kokoro shirarete
English Translation: For no reason, still,
to hear the word 'parsley' is
so moving to me,
for I come to know the heart
of the one who picked it once.
Meaning: Somehow, just to hear the word parsley moves me deeply, for I come to know the heart of the one who is said to have picked it.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1033

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown"
Somehow just to hear the word parsley moves me deeply, for I come to know the heart of the one said to have picked it, the poet says. He draws on the tale of a lowly man who glimpsed an empress and fell in love; seeing her eat parsley, he picked parsley and offered it again and again, but his longing was never answered. The poet feels for one who held a love that could not be fulfilled.

First line, “nani to naku”: for no reason.
Second line, “seri to kiku koso”: hearing the word parsley; koso is answered by nare in the third line.
Third line, “aware nare”: it is moving; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “tsumiken hito no”: of the one said to have picked it; ken marks a past report.
Fifth line, “kokoro shirarete”: coming to know their heart, inverted to give the reason.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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