朝まだき吹きくる風にまかすれば
かたよりしけり青柳の糸
かたよりしけり青柳の糸
- Roma-ji
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Asamadaki fukikuru kaze ni makasureba katayori shikeri aoyagi no ito
- English Translation
-
At the break of day
to the wind that comes blowing
they yield themselves, so
twisted all the one way now
are the green willow's threads
- Meaning
- Yielding themselves to the wind that blows at early dawn, the green willow's threads are twisted, all leaning one way.
- Commentary
-
Book One Spring Poems 24
The poem depicts green willow branches leaning one way in the dawn wind. Using the same word katayori as Emperor Shirakawa's poem just before, it carries on the conceit of willow branches as twisted thread.
The author, Kinzane, is Fujiwara no Kinzane. A son of Fujiwara no Sanesue, he rose to Provisional Major Counselor and also served as Master of the Crown Prince's Household. He was an active poet in the circle of Emperor Horikawa.
First line, 'asamadaki', means at early dawn before the day has fully broken.
Second line, 'fukikuru kaze ni', sings of the willow blown by the wind, as in poem 23.
Third line, 'makasureba', means since they yield, describing the willow bending as the wind wills.
Fourth line, 'katayori shikeri', contains katayori, again a pivot word for leaning to one side and twisting thread, and shikeri means it has been done so. The poem breaks after the fourth line.
Final line, 'aoyagi no ito', ends on a noun, leaving the image of fresh green willow. Where the preceding poem moved to a feeling of passing spring, this one completes the scene itself.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Kinzane
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Kaze fukeba yanagi no ito no katayori ni nabiku ni tsukete suguru haru kana
- Next Poem
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Kaze fukeba nami no aya oru ikemizu ni ito hikisouru kishi no aoyagi