Whenever he went to Hatsuse on a pilgrimage, he stayed at a certain person’s house; he had not stayed there for quite some time, but his host said that there was certainly a place for him there. Hearing this, he broke a spray of plum blossom from a tree standing there and composed this poem.
人はいさ心もしらずふるさとは花ぞ昔のかににほひける
| Fito Fa isa kokoro mo sirazu Furusato Fa Fana zo mukasi no ka ni nioFikeru |
Of people: one cannot Know their hearts, But in my home of old The blossom, with its ancient Scent perfumes the air. |
Ki no Tsurayuki
紀貫之
This poem is also included as #35 in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshū compiled by Fujiwara no Teika.