Shunzei-kyō no musume-shū 14

なつ衣うすくや人の成りぬらんうつ蝉の音にぬるる袖かな

natsugoromo
usuku ya hito no
narinuran
utsusemi no oto ni
nururu sode kana
Summer garb
Scanty has he
Become, perhaps?
An abandoned cicada shell’s sound is
Drenched sleeves![i]

14


[i] See: 空蝉の羽におく露の木がくれてしのびしのびにぬるる袖かな utsusemi no / ha ni oku tsuyu no / kogakurete / shinobishinobi ni / nururu sode kana ‘Upon an abandoned cicada shell’s / Wings fall dewdrops / Hidden ‘mongst the trees / Secretly, so secretly, / Drenched are my sleeves!’ Utsusemi (Genji monogatari 25)

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