Practise the thinking. Keep the judgement.
小倉山
Fujiwara no Tadahira · 貞信公
小倉山
峯のもみぢ葉
心あらば
今ひとたびの
みゆき待たなむ
Historical kana
をぐらやま
みねのもみぢば
こゝろあらば
いまひとたびの
みゆきまたなむ
Original English translation
Autumn leaves on Mount Ogura’s peak, if you have a heart, wait for one more imperial visit.
History and context
Tadahira is called Teishinkō in the collection. This poem’s courtly setting joins admiration for autumn leaves to the prospect of an emperor’s excursion.
Imagery and wordplay
The leaves receive a human heart and the ability to wait. A seasonal scene becomes an act of courteous invitation.
Shūishū · 拾遺集雑秋1128
Japanese text and historical kana follow the linked Wikisource transcription. Classical poems can have variant spellings and wording in different anthologies. The source anthology reference identifies the version represented in this collection, not necessarily its earliest surviving text. English prose translations and reading notes are original interpretations; some wordplay permits more than one reading.