Even the autumn
of long ago feels to me
like the present hour,
and on sleeves already wet
the dew comes settling again
- Meaning
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Even the autumn of long ago feels like the present hour, and on sleeves already wet the dew comes settling again.
- Commentary
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Part Two: Minori
News of Murasaki no Ue's death went everywhere, and messages of condolence came without a break, beginning with the Emperor's. Among those who wrote was the retired Chancellor, Kashiwagi's father. For him there was the memory of losing his own sister, Aoi, in the same season some thirty years before, and that grief came up under this one. He sent this poem to Genji, who answered him. But Genji seldom appeared before anyone now, and passed his days in prayer.
"The autumn of long ago" is the season in which Aoi died. "Even" marks the older grief added to the present one. "Feels like the present hour" is the past coming close. "Sleeves already wet" are sleeves soaked before this. "The dew comes settling again" has dew for tears, and the verb belongs with dew as an associated word. Two deaths in two autumns are laid over one sleeve—a well-made poem of condolence.
- Author
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Murasaki Shikibu
- Source
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Genji Monogatari
- Other
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