Saigyo and Shunzei

Out of Saigyo's poems, I picked Spring Number 87 from the Sankashuu (page 577).

Wanting to see the blossoms
people come in droves
to visit - this alone
regrettably
is the cherry tree's fault.

This poem made me smile a bit, out of sympathy and a little amusement. When something's really amazing for whatever reason, a ton of people will want to see it which can have unintended side effects like eroding what you came to see. For example, a lot of wildlife tends to get harmed when people flock to see their habitat and old art deteriorates further from people doing something as simple as breathing. In Saigyo's poem, the people are disturbing the tranquility the cherry blossoms create and Saigyo's retreat as the note below explains. I think it also says a lot about the cherry blossom. It is so close to perfection in their eyes that the trees only have a single fault, drawing large crowds. Even so, Saigyo is still reproved in a no play for making that comment according to the note. You can sympathize with Saigyo for having his quiet disturbed.

The next poem is Autumn 1, number 250 from the Senzaishuu (page 586).

As evening approaches,
the autumn wind over the field
pierces my body-
a quail cries
in the deep grass of Fukakusa

I really like how this poem connected back to The Tales of Ise which I didn't pick up on until I read the note. But first the imagery, we all know that winds in fall and winter can be chill you to the bone. It can be cold outside, but nothing like when the wind starts. A singular bird cry sounds very lonely, especially in the middle of something thick like the deep grass in the poem. Then there's the connection that the quail is the woman and how the grass is deep because of the man's neglect. The poem is just very pretty in a melancholic way and I liked how the poem is layered. You can tell the author's sympathy for the woman and the reader can connect. In terms of the progression of seasons, fall is before winter so the relationship is cooling and the relationship will end in winter.