KKS 40

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Text

月夜に「梅の花を折りて」と人の言ひければ、折るとてよめる

On a moonlit night, someone said “pick me a plum flower,” so he picked one and read this.

躬恒

Ōshikōchi no Mitsune

月夜にはそれとも見えず梅の花香をたづねてぞしるべかりける

tsukiyo ni wa sore to mo mie-zu mume no hana ka o tazunete zo shiru bekari-keru

On a moonlit night It does not look like that at all Plum flowers It’s by following the scent That I now have found it.

Notes

Someone

The lack of honorifics in the preface suggest this is a friend, woman, or neighbor, rather than a patron or higher ranking figure.

Other sources:

• Kokin waka rokujō
• Teika hachidaishō

Analysis

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