Momiji mishi takano no mine no hanazakari tanomenu hito no mataruru ya nani

紅葉見し高野の峰の花盛り
頼めぬ人の待たるるやなに

Roma-ji: Momiji mishi takano no mine no hanazakari tanomenu hito no mataruru ya nani
English Translation: On Kōya's high peak,
where we saw the autumn leaves,
blossoms in full bloom—
one who promised not to come,
why is it I wait for you?
Meaning: The peak of Kōya, where we viewed the autumn leaves together, is now in full blossom. Why is it that I find myself waiting for you, who never promised to come?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1074

Headnote: "Jakunen came to Kōya at the height of the autumn leaves and then left; at blossom time the following year I sent this"
Jakunen visited Mount Kōya at the height of the autumn colors and then went home; at blossom time the next year Saigyō sent him this poem. The peak of Kōya where they viewed the autumn leaves together is now in full bloom, and somehow he keeps waiting for a friend who never promised to come.
Setting autumn leaves against spring blossoms, the poem tells how the memory of a season shared makes one wait for a friend even in the next. It pairs with Jakunen's reply in 1075.

First line, “momiji mishi”: shi is the attributive of the past ki, "where we saw the autumn leaves."
Second line, “takano no mine no”: of the peaks of Mount Kōya.
Third line, “hanazakari”: now in full bloom, set against the autumn leaves of the first line; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “tanomenu hito no”: tanomu in its lower bigrade form means to lead one to expect; the one who made no promise to come.
Fifth line, “mataruru ya nani”: ruru is spontaneous, "why do I find myself waiting?"; the text reads ya nani, read as "why."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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