Kokinshu #238

[lnhammer]

Written in the Kampyô Era when courtiers from the Chamberlain's Office had gone flower-viewing in Sagano and, as they returned, everyone composed poems.

    We aren't weary
of the blossoms -- so why
    do we return home?
Ah, we could have slept in fields
of many maidenflowers!

—15 April 2012

Original by Taira no Sadafun, who was born probably around 870; in 874 he and his father, a descendent of Emperor Kanmu, were demoted to commoner status (and given the Taira family name). He held various middling military and administrative positions between 891 and his death in 923. Stories of Sadafun's amorous adventures became the basis of Tales of Heichû (much as Narihira's two generations before became Tales of Ise); this poem also appears there with a more expansive headnote. He has nine poems in the Kokinshu. ¶ Sagano ("rugged high field") is in the hills west of Kyoto. Again with the ôkaru instead of ôki -- apparently that's a valid form. And with this departure, we FINALLY are done with the maidenflowers. I would celebrate, but the next round of punny names is even worse ...


hana ni akade
nani kaeruramu
ominaeshi
ôkaru nobe ni
nenamashi mono o

---L.