八重咲けるかひこそなけれ山吹の
散らば一重もあらじと思へば
散らば一重もあらじと思へば
- Roma-ji
-
Yae sakeru kai koso nakere yamabuki no chiraba hitoe mo araji to omoeba
- English Translation
-
Blooming eightfold
is of no use at all
for the kerria,
since once they fall, not even
a single layer will remain.
- Meaning
- There is no point in the kerria blooming eightfold, for once its petals fall, not even a single layer will remain.
- Commentary
-
Book One Spring Poems 46
The kerria may flaunt its eightfold blossoms, but once they fall not even a single layer will be left, so there is no point in its blooming eightfold. Where the preceding poem praised the splendor of the double flower, this one answers with the thought of impermanence: once fallen, all are the same.
The first line, "blooming eightfold," takes up "layered eightfold" in the fourth line of the preceding poem.
The second line, "is of no use at all," closes a kakari-musubi with "koso" and the realis "nakere"; the poem breaks here.
The third line, "the kerria," is the same flower as the preceding poem's last line, and the two kerria poems stand together.
The fourth line, "once they fall, not even," answers "even single-petaled" in the first line of the preceding poem.
The last line, "will remain," uses "ji" for negative conjecture, giving the reason at the end by inversion.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
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Hitoe dani akanu nioi o itodoshiku yae kasanareru yamabuki no hana
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