古里の御垣の柳はるばると
誰が染めかけし浅緑ぞも
誰が染めかけし浅緑ぞも
- Roma-ji
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Furusato no mikaki no yanagi harubaru to ta ga somekakeshi asamidori zo mo
- English Translation
-
In the old capital
the willows by the palace fence
stretch far into spring;
who was it that dyed and hung
this pale and tender green?
- Meaning
- In the old capital, the willows along the palace fence stretch far away in spring; who could it be that dyed and hung out this pale green?
- Commentary
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Book One Spring Poems 16
The poet asks who might have dyed and hung the pale green of the willows that stretch far along the fence of the old capital's palace. In the color of willows budding unchanged in the faded old capital, a feeling for the passage of time seeps through.
Like "Lady Saho dyes threads and hangs them" in 14, it takes up the conceit of willow branches as dyed threads.
The first line, "the old capital," connects with the first line of 3, "the old capital," showing spring returning to a former capital.
The second line, "willows by the palace fence," names willows planted along the fence of a palace.
The third line, "harubaru to," is a pivot word meaning both stretching far away and "spring." It shows the row of willows extending into the distance.
The fourth line, "who was it that dyed and hung," asks who dyed and hung them, "shi" being the attributive of the past "ki"; it is the same conceit as the second line of 14.
In the last line, "zo mo" expresses strong wonder and doubt. Ending on the willow's pale green, it closes the three green-willow poems.
- Author
- Minamoto no Michinari
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Ikanareba kōri wa tokuru harukaze ni musubohoruramu aoyagi no ito
- Next Poem
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Miyamagi no sono kozue tomo miezarishi sakura wa hana ni arawarenikeri