As a sign that I
have spent myself in longing,
channel-marker deep,
we have come round and met here—
the bond that runs in this bay
- Meaning
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As a sign that I have spent myself in longing, we have come round and met even here; the bond between us runs deep as this channel.
- Commentary
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Part One: Miotsukushi
Leaving the shrine, Genji made his way with excursions along the road and performed purifications at Naniwa. Looking out over Horie he murmured, without meaning to, a line about Naniwa from an old poem; and Koremitsu, close by the carriage, produced from his robe a short-handled brush he had brought against just such a need. Impressed by his readiness, Genji wrote this on a folded paper. It gives the chapter its name, and Akashi no Kimi answered it.
"Miotsukushi" is the channel-marker set in the sea at Naniwa, played against spending oneself utterly, and it draws on Motoyoshi's poem about meeting though it cost him everything. "Shirushi" is a sign or proof. "E ni" is the bond and also an inlet. Marker, sign, and depth all belong to water, so the whole poem is gathered into one coastal image, and a chance near-meeting is given the meaning of destiny.
- Author
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Murasaki Shikibu
- Source
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Genji Monogatari
- Other
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