この里も夕立しけり浅茅生に
露のすがらぬ草の葉もなし
露のすがらぬ草の葉もなし
- Roma-ji
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Kono sato mo yūdachi shikeri asajiu ni tsuyu no sugaranu kusa no ha mo nashi
- English Translation
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Here in this village
an evening shower has passed,
for in the low reeds
there is not a blade of grass
that dew has failed to cling to
- Meaning
- An evening shower has fallen on this village too: among the low reeds, there is not a single blade of grass without dew clinging to it.
- Commentary
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Book Two Summer Poems 150
Seeing dew on every blade of grass in a field of low reeds, the poet realizes that an evening shower has passed over this village too. The freshness of grass glistening with dew after the shower is depicted.
Rather than describing the shower directly, the poem has a new perspective in recognizing its passage by the dew it left behind.
The author, Toshiyori, is Minamoto no Toshiyori. A son of Minamoto no Tsunenobu, he compiled this anthology, the Kin'yōwakashū, at the command of Retired Emperor Shirakawa, and is known for his innovative style.
First line, 'kono sato mo', uses mo, this village too as well as others, showing that the shower fell widely.
Second line, 'yūdachi shikeri', means an evening shower has fallen, the exclamatory keri expressing sudden realization. The poem breaks after the second line.
Third line, 'asajiu ni', uses asajiu, a place where low reeds grow.
Fourth line, 'tsuyu no sugaranu', uses sugaru, to cling: where dew does not cling.
Final line, 'kusa no ha mo nashi', means there is not a blade of grass, which together with the negative in the fourth line stresses that dew lies on every leaf.
- Author
- Minamoto no Toshiyori
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
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