花守や

白きかしらを

つき合はせ

 

薦獅子集

俳諧 - 去来

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Hanamori ya

shiroki kashira o

tsukiawase

 

The flower guardians—

their white heads

leaning close together.

 

This haiku is attributed to Kyorai (向井去来), one of Matsuo Bashō’s prominent disciples, and appears in the Komojishi-shū (薦獅子集), a haikai anthology.

 

• Hanamori (花守) refers to “flower guardians,” typically people assigned to watch over or protect cherry blossoms during the blooming season.

• Shiroki kashira (白きかしら) literally means “white heads,” suggesting elderly people with white hair.

• Tsukiawase (つき合はせ) implies bringing together or leaning close, often in conversation.

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The poem presents a quiet, observational scene: elderly flower guardians standing together beneath the blossoms, their white heads close to one another. There is a subtle visual resonance between their white hair and the pale cherry blossoms. This creates layered imagery—human aging set against ephemeral spring beauty.

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The tone is restrained and observational rather than sentimental. The poem does not state emotion directly; instead, it allows the juxtaposition of images to evoke quiet reflection on time, companionship, and transience.