いろは歌 (The Basics song)

Lyrics:

「いろはにほへと 

ちりぬるを

わーかよたれそ 

つねならむ

ういのおくやま

 けふこえて

あさきゆめみし 

えひもせすん」

So recently I've been interested in JSL.
(Japanese Sign Language)
More specifically about that later.


I was looking to see if there was a video on the ABC's of hiragana in JSL,
and I found this video of Miku doing it.
I was happy because it makes learning the gestures more fun.
(That's how I learned the hiragana when I started Japanese).


Because I'm just starting it felt too fast.
So I googled the lyrics.
I was surprised to learn that it's a real song.
A poem.
A very old poem.


I was so focused on the signs I didn't realize that she's singing words.
When you convert the hiragana to kanji it makes more sense.
The translation is melancholy but pretty.


Today it's more of a ABC song. 
(At least that's what I've read)


It makes it even more interesting for me to learn it.
I'll be learning a piece of history,
a beautiful poem,
JSL,
and having fun.


For more background on the poem here are some wiki links:
Iroha (English)
いろは（日本語）