In the reach of sky
where the autumn mist will not
clear, all the more now
they tell us, as they cry, that
this world is a borrowed one

Meaning

In the sky where the autumn mist will not clear, the geese cry all the more that this world is only borrowed.

Commentary

Part Three: Shiigamoto

　After the Eighth Prince's death, Kaoru looked up at the geese crossing the sky above Uji and spoke this to himself. He had been drawn to the impermanence of things from the first, and the prince's death settled the matter for him. From here he goes on wavering between the wish to take vows and his love for Oigimi.

　Kari carries both kari, wild goose, and kari, borrowed or provisional. The cry of the geese sounds to him like an announcement that the world is only lodged in. Kumoi is the sky where the clouds are, and the autumn mist that will not clear lies over a mind that will not clear either. The view of impermanence the prince taught and Kaoru took up is concentrated in this one poem.

Author

Murasaki Shikibu

Source

Genji Monogatari

Other

In the reach of sky where the autumn mist will not clear, all the more now they tell us, as they cry, that this world is a borrowed one

In the reach of sky
where the autumn mist will not
clear, all the more now
they tell us, as they cry, that
this world is a borrowed one