春深み神なび川に影見えて
うつろひにけり山吹の花
うつろひにけり山吹の花
- Roma-ji
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Haru fukami kaminabigawa ni kage miete utsuroi ni keri yamabuki no hana
- English Translation
-
As the spring grows deep,
in the Kaminabi stream
their image shows,
and they are fading as they're mirrored,
the yellow kerria blooms
- Meaning
- As spring deepens, the kerria blossoms, their image showing in the Kaminabi River, have faded as they are mirrored there.
- Commentary
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Book One Spring Poems 78
The poet depicts kerria blossoms past their prime, mirrored in the Kaminabi River in late spring. Overlapping the reflection in the water with the fading flowers, he conveys a feeling for the end of spring.
The author, Nakamasa, is Minamoto no Nakamasa. A son of Minamoto no Yoritsuna and the father of Minamoto no Yorimasa, he was a warrior who also made his name as a poet.
First line, 'haru fukami', means since spring has deepened, mi being a suffix of cause.
Second line, 'kaminabigawa ni', names the Kaminabi River, a famous place in Yamato.
Third line, 'kage miete', means their image appearing on the water.
Fourth line, 'utsuroi ni keri', contains utsuroi, a pivot word meaning both fading and being reflected; the poem breaks after the fourth line.
Final line, 'yamabuki no hana', ends on a noun. Like poem 77, it sings of kerria by the river.
- Author
- Minamoto no Nakamasa
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
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Kagiri arite chiru dani oshiki yamabuki o itaku na ori so ide no kawanami
- Next Poem
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Yamabuki ni fukikuru kaze mo kokoro araba yae nagara o ba chirasazaranamu