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Kokinshu #393
Monday, 20 May 2013 08:17 Written while parting with people who climbed the mountain to worship and were returning.
Our separation --
I shall entrust it to
the mountain cherries:
whether you stay or not is
at the whim of the flowers.
wakare o-ba
yama no sakura ni
makasetemu
tomemu tomeji wa
hana no manimani
---L.
Our separation --
I shall entrust it to
the mountain cherries:
whether you stay or not is
at the whim of the flowers.
—16-20 May 2013
Original by Yûsen. Yûsen (836–900) was a Fujiwara, lay personal name unknown, who took vows as a Buddhist priest. He has 2 poems in the Kokinshu. ¶ It's generally understood that the mountain is Hiei (see #87) and that Yûsen resided in a temple there. Omitted-but-understood verb: "is." It's unclear whether he's hoping the flowers will scatter and confuse the path (as in the next poem) or the visitors will be entranced enough to stay (as in the poem after). Not a great translation -- and while it's not a great poem either, that's no excuse.wakare o-ba
yama no sakura ni
makasetemu
tomemu tomeji wa
hana no manimani
---L.