音羽山紅葉散るらし逢坂の
関の小川に錦織りかく
関の小川に錦織りかく
- Roma-ji
-
Otowayama momiji chirurashi ausaka no seki no ogawa ni nishiki orikaku
- English Translation
-
On Mount Otowa
the bright leaves must be falling,
for at Ōsaka
on the brook by the barrier
a brocade is being woven
- Meaning
- On Mount Otowa the leaves must be falling, for on the brook by Ōsaka Barrier a brocade is being woven.
- Commentary
-
Book Three Autumn Poems 246
Autumn leaves drift down the brook by Ōsaka Barrier as if a brocade were being woven across it, so the poet surmises that leaves are falling upstream on Mount Otowa. Likening the leaves on the water to brocade, he infers the unseen mountain colors from the scene before him.
From poem 243 through poem 253 in this book come poems on autumn leaves, from trees just beginning to turn to leaves scattering until they fill rivers and waterfalls.
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, 'otowayama', is the mountain on the border of Yamashiro and Ōmi, famous for its autumn leaves.
Second line, 'momiji chirurashi', uses rashi, inference from evidence: the leaves seem to be falling. The poem breaks after the second line.
Third line, 'ausaka no', is Ōsaka on the border of Ōmi and Yamashiro, site of the barrier.
Fourth line, 'seki no ogawa ni', means on the brook by the barrier.
Final line, 'nishiki orikaku', means weaving a brocade across it, likening the drifting leaves to brocade and giving the evidence for the inference in the second line.
- Author
- Minamoto no Toshiyori
- Source
- Kinyo Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Ōigawa iwanami takashi ikadashi yo kishi no momiji ni akarame na se so
- Next Poem
-
Tanigawa ni shigarami kakeyo tatsutahime mine no momiji ni arashi fuku nari