秋はみな思ふことなき荻の葉も
末たわむまで露は置くめり
末たわむまで露は置くめり
- Roma-ji
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Aki wa mina omou koto naki ogi no ha mo sue tawamu made tsuyu wa okumeri
- English Translation
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In autumn all things —
even the leaves of the reed
that have no cares at all
bear dew so heavy that their tips
seem to bend beneath its weight
- Meaning
- In autumn, it seems, all things grieve: even the leaves of the reeds, which have no cares, bear so much dew that their tips bend.
- Commentary
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Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems I 320
In autumn, the poet says, even the leaves of the ogi reed, which should have no cares, bear so much dew that their tips bend, showing that autumn is a season when all things sink into sorrow. Likening the dew on the leaves to tears, the poem conveys the depth of autumn melancholy.
The first line, "aki wa mina" (in autumn, all), singles out autumn with "wa."
The second line, "omou koto naki" (with no cares), describes what should feel no sorrow.
The third line, "ogi no ha mo," names the leaves of the reed rustling in the autumn wind, adding with "mo" "even these."
The fourth line, "sue tawamu made," means so much that the tips bend, showing the abundance of dew.
The final line, "tsuyu wa okumeri," ends with the inferential "meri": dew seems to lie on them. The dew suggests tears.
- Author
- Izumi Shikibu
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
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