KKS 78

Previous poem | Next poem

Text

逢知れりける人のまうできて、帰りにける後のちに、よみて花にさしてつかはしける　

Someone he knew visited, and then after they left, he composed this and sent with a flower attached.

つらゆき

Ki no Tsurayuki

ひとめみし君もやくると桜花けふは待ちみてちらばちらなん

hitome mi-shi kimi mo ya kuru to sakurabana kyō wa machi-mi-te chira-ba chira-nan

Only glimpsed briefly, You will perhaps visit, So cherry blossoms, Try waiting for today Then if you will fall, fall.

Notes

someone he knew

The phrasing is used in love poetry to mean someone who the poet had a romantic relationship with. However, here it probably just means a friend -- it would be unusual for the woman to visit the man.

attached to a flower

This was a common practice in the period for all kinds of letters and poems.

Analysis

This is an example of a "private" poem, relatively uncommon in the KKS. Commentators differ on exactly what the message is supposed to communicate to the addressee, however.

There is general agreement that this is inviting the addressee to come back.

Previous poem | Next poem