花を見し昔の心あらためて
吉野の里に住まんとぞ思ふ
吉野の里に住まんとぞ思ふ
- Roma-ji
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Hana o mishi mukashi no kokoro aratamete yoshino no sato ni suman to zo omou
- English Translation
-
That heart of long ago,
with which I once gazed at blossoms,
I will make new again—
in the village of Yoshino
I mean now to make my home.
- Meaning
- Renewing the heart with which I once gazed at the blossoms long ago, I mean to make my home in the village of Yoshino.
- Commentary
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Miscellaneous Poems 1070
Headnote: "Having traveled around the provinces and returned in spring, when I was about to go toward Yoshino, someone asked where I would settle this time"
Back in spring from traveling the provinces and about to head for Yoshino, Saigyō was asked where he meant to settle, and he answered with this poem: renewing the heart with which he once viewed the blossoms, he will live in the village of Yoshino.
Returned from his travels, he states his resolve to place himself once more among the blossoms of Yoshino. "The heart of long ago" is the heart of younger days captivated by blossoms, and the idea of renewing it shows his lifelong devotion to flowers.
First line, “hana o mishi”: shi is the attributive of the past auxiliary ki, "with which I once saw the blossoms."
Second line, “mukashi no kokoro”: the heart of long ago, given to the blossoms.
Third line, “aratamete”: renewing it, afresh.
Fourth line, “yoshino no sato ni”: in the village of Yoshino, famed for its cherries.
Fifth line, “suman to zo omou”: zo is emphatic, answered by the attributive omou, firmly stating his resolve to live there.
- Author
- Saigyō
- Source
- Sankashu
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Tsuki mireba kaze ni sakura no eda naete hana yo to tsuguru kokochi koso sure
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Omoitsutsu hana no kudamono tsumitekeri yoshino no hito no miyatate ni shite