Kokinshu #99

Wednesday, 15 June 2011 07:07
lnhammer: the Chinese character for poetry, red on white background (Default)
[personal profile] lnhammer
(Topic unknown.)

    If I were able
to make the blowing winds
    obey my commands,
I would say, "This single tree --
avoid it entirely!"

—14 June 2011

(Original author unknown.) For modern language purposes, imagine the hito moto written in kana were instead in kanji as 一本, and then read as ippon ("one cylindrical thing") followed by an implied no ki ("tree"). From which I gather the grammar rules for counters and Chinese numbers were still being worked out in the 9th century. As for the poem, compare with #85 for another vain command to the wind.


fuku kaze ni
atsurae-tsukuru
mono naraba
kono hito moto wa
yogiyo to iwamashi


---L.

About

Warning: contents contain line-breaks.

As language practice, I like to translate poetry. My current project is Chinese, with practice focused on Tang Dynasty poetry. Previously this was classical Japanese, most recently working through the Kokinshu anthology (archived here). Suggestions, corrections, and questions always welcome.

There's also original pomes in the journal archives.

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