classic waka stream

行く末の名にやながれん常よりも
月澄みわたる白河の水
Roma-ji

Yukusue no na ni ya nagaren tsune yori mo tsuki sumiwataru shirakawa no mizu

English Translation
Will its fame flow on
to the ages yet to come?
Clearer than ever,
the moon shines all across
the waters of Shirakawa.
Meaning
Will its name flow on into the distant future? The moon shines clear, more than ever, across the waters of Shirakawa.
Commentary
Miscellaneous Poems 1188

Headnote: "When the Hachijō-in was still called Princess, at an insect contest held by the ladies at the Shirakawa palace, I entered insects on someone's behalf and made the stand they were presented on show the moon reflected in water, and composed a poem on its meaning"
When Hachijō-in was still a princess, her ladies held an insect contest at the Shirakawa palace. Saigyō entered insects for someone, adding a model of the moon reflected in water, and composed this on its theme. Will its name flow on into the future, the water of Shirakawa where the moon shines clearer than ever?
Nagare pivots on water "flowing" and fame "flowing down" to later ages, celebrating that the honor of the occasion will long be told. It is a festive poem linking the moon in the model water with the palace at Shirakawa.

First line, “yukusue no”: of the future, of later days.
Second line, “na ni ya nagaren”: nagare pivots on fame "flowing on" and water "flowing"; ya questions, answered by the attributive n, and the poem breaks here.
Third line, “tsune yori mo”: more than usual.
Fourth line, “tsuki sumiwataru”: the moon shining clear all over.
Fifth line, “shirakawa no mizu”: ending on a noun, joining the palace of Shirakawa with clear white water.
Author
Saigyō
Source
Sankashu
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