Kokinshu #185

(Topic unknown.)

    The moment autumn
has arrived all about us,
    I realize
that it is indeed myself
who's the melancholy one.

—31 December 2011

(Original author unknown.) According to one edition, this is a translation/adaptation by Ôe no Chisato of a verse by Po Chü-i/Bai Juyi, but I cannot find a copy of his Kudai waka to confirm this. The placement after the previous poem (and before the next) makes me think the implied contrast is with the season not being sad as opposed to other people, but the text is ambiguous. I tried to bring this out by alliterating on m (matching initial ka- on the equivalent words).


ôkata no
aki kuru kara ni
waga mi koso
kanashiki mono to
omoishirinuru

---L.