Nenohi suru nobe no ware koso nushi naru o goyō nashi tote hiku hito no naki

子の日する野辺の我こそ主なるを
五葉なしとて引く人のなき

Roma-ji: Nenohi suru nobe no ware koso nushi naru o goyō nashi tote hiku hito no naki
English Translation: Out in the meadows
where they hold the Day of the Rat,
I'm the true master—
yet since I'm not five-needled,
no one comes to pull me up.
Meaning: In the fields where the Day of the Rat is held, I am the true master—yet because I am not five-needled, no one comes to pull me up.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 1185

Headnote: "Adding an ordinary pine, I said I would speak for its feelings too"
To the five-needled seedlings of the preceding poem Saigyō added an ordinary young pine, saying he would speak its feelings as well. Speaking as the plain pine, he laments: in the fields of the Day of the Rat I am the true master, yet no one pulls me up because I am not five-needled.
Voicing the feelings of a common pine against the prized five-needled kind, it is a humorous poem of personification. Sent together with the preceding poem, it adds wit to the two kinds of seedlings.

First line, “nenohi suru”: pulling pines on the Day of the Rat.
Second line, “nobe no ware koso”: koso stresses "in the fields, I."
Third line, “nushi naru o”: o is concessive, "though I am the master."
Fourth line, “goyō nashi tote”: because I am not five-needled.
Fifth line, “hiku hito no naki”: ending on the attributive, "no one pulls me," closing with a mock lament.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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