Ranged in a line, they
bring back to me the way things
were in former days,
though the geese were never friends
of ours in that time at all

Meaning

Ranged in their line they bring back the way things were, though the geese were never companions of ours in those days.

Commentary

Part One: Suma

　Yoshikiyo answered Genji's poem with this one. Son of a provincial governor in Harima, he was also the man who had earlier told Genji about the Akashi novice's daughter. Here, as one who had followed his lord into exile, he sets down his own longing for the capital. The Minbu no Taifu and the former Lieutenant followed, making four poems in sequence.

　"Kakitsurane" is forming a line, taking up Genji's "line." "Former days" are the days in the capital. "Though they were never friends of that time" concedes that the geese have nothing to do with it, and says they bring it back regardless. Admitting that the association has no ground is precisely what shows how strong the homesickness is.

Author

Murasaki Shikibu

Source

Genji Monogatari

Other

Ranged in a line, they bring back to me the way things were in former days, though the geese were never friends of ours in that time at all

Ranged in a line, they
bring back to me the way things
were in former days,
though the geese were never friends
of ours in that time at all