For a painting on a folding screen of a woman with a torn robe passing by a spot on the plains with three aged pines.
おのづから我をたづぬる人もあらば野中の松よみきとかたるな
| onozukara ware o tazunuru hito mo araba nonaka no matsu yo miki to kataru na | If, from time to time, Enquiring after me A man should come, O, pines upon the plains, Say not that you’ve seen me![i] |
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[i] See: Topic unknown. それをだに思ふ事とてわがやどを見きとないひそ人のきかくに sore o dani / omou koto tote / wa ga yado o / miki to na ii so / hito no kikaku ni ‘Simply on those times / Do my thoughts dwell, so / That my house / You’ve seen, say not! / Lest others hear of it…’ Anonymous (Kokinshū XV: 811)
