Fujiwaranoteika: Created page with "Previous poem | Next poem == Text == 題しらず Topic unknown よみ人しらず Poet unknown ももちどりさえづる春は物ごとにあらたまれども我ぞふりゆく {{PoemPair |orig= momochidori saezuru haru wa monogoto ni aratama-re-domo ware zo furi-yuku |trans= In spring When the many birds chirp Everything Is made new, and yet I am the one who grows old. }} == Notes == ;many birds :There..."

2026-06-10T17:44:52Z

Created page with "Previous poem | Next poem == Text == 題しらず Topic unknown よみ人しらず Poet unknown ももちどりさえづる春は物ごとにあらたまれども我ぞふりゆく {{PoemPair |orig= <poem> momochidori saezuru haru wa monogoto ni aratama-re-domo ware zo furi-yuku </poem> |trans= <poem> In spring When the many birds chirp Everything Is made new, and yet I am the one who grows old. </poem> }} == Notes == ;many birds :There..."

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[[KKS 27|Previous poem]] | [[KKS 29|Next poem]]

== Text ==

題しらず

Topic unknown

よみ人しらず

Poet unknown

ももちどりさえづる春は物ごとにあらたまれども我ぞふりゆく

{{PoemPair
|orig=
<poem>
momochidori
saezuru haru wa
monogoto ni
aratama-re-domo
ware zo furi-yuku
</poem>

|trans=
<poem>
In spring
When the many birds chirp
Everything
Is made new, and yet
I am the one who grows old.
</poem>
}}

== Notes ==

;many birds
:There is general agreement that ''momochidori'' simply means "various birds" or "many birds." However, Fujiwara no Toshiyori (''Toshiyori zuinō'') claimed that this was another word for the warbler. Other commentators cited Chinese sources in support (even Keichū), but the theory was generally discounted among the earliest commentators, partly because this poem seems to come after the other warbler poems. But Fujiwara no Teika in the ''Hekianshō'' showed sympathy for the theory, and his great reputation and influence ensured the survival of the idea. In the medieval period the bird was one of the "three birds" of the ''Kokin Denjū'' secret theories; in one account this represents the many officials of the realm who carry out the Emperor's orders.

Other sources:

* ''[[Teika hachidaishō]]''

== Analysis ==

The poem's basic meaning is that in spring everything is made new, but the poet instead is growing old. The feeling is close to ''Man'yōshū'' 1884:

{{Quote|冬過ぎて春し来ぬれば年月はあらたなれども人はふりゆく

Winter passes and spring comes; the years and months are becoming new but people are growing old.}}

As several commenters note, the KKS version is more personal with the use of "I" rather than "people". The KKS poem also uses sounds to set the scene in the first part of the poem rather than simply calendar facts.

Matsuda(1968) and Takeoka both interpret this as more of a miscellaneous poem than a spring poem, noting that the spring imagery isn't central to the poem. Katagiri's reading is inspired by "praise of the aged" folk songs, and he praises its natural and unaffected rhythm.

[[KKS 27|Previous poem]] | [[KKS 29|Next poem]]

[[Category:Spring]]
[[Category:Age]]
[[Category:Birds]]

KKS 28 - Revision history