“Chiriusenu” Poem Card, One Sheet, Ink on paper, By Matsuo Bashō, Genroku 2 (1689) [Poem] Held by this museum
[Transcription]
Seal (Futai)
Musashino is within the cherry blossoms
Emerging cheerfully, Shirakawa's
Barrier passed in early summer, Take-
kuma's pine trees bloom irises
It has become this season
The unfading pines, two trees
Three months passed
Bashōan Tōsei
(Bashō, Tōsei)
[Explanation]
Composed at Takekuma Pine in Ōshū in Genroku 2. In "Oku no Hosomichi," the form "Cherry blossoms gone, two pines, three months passed" appears, but this was revised during the drafting process, so the poem presented here is likely the initial draft. It is included in its initial draft form in the "Shiki Senku" (published Genroku 2) by his disciple Kyohaku. In response to Kyohaku's farewell poem "Show me Takekuma's pines, late cherry blossoms," the meaning is that although the cherry blossoms have scattered, he was finally able to see the two unfading pines, three months after departing Edo. The initial draft corresponds well with Kyohaku's poetic intention.