Koromogawa minareshi hito no wakare ni wa tamoto made koso nami wa tachikere

English Translation

Robe River's waters—
parting from one long familiar,
steeped as in its stream,
even to my sleeve's deep folds
the waves have risen up.

Meaning

At parting from one I have known so long, as a robe grows used to the waters of Robe River, the waves of my tears rise even to the folds of my sleeves.

Commentary

Book Nine Parting Poems 865

Headnote: "Topic unknown."
This is the first poem of a sequence on partings connected with Mutsu. Drawing on the name of Robe River, the speaker says that at parting from someone long familiar, waves of tears rise even to the sleeves. The headnote gives no topic, and the circumstances of composition are not recorded.
The author was a grandson of Prince Sadamoto, son of Emperor Seiwa, held provincial posts such as provisional governor of Sagami, and is counted among the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals.
The scene is a parting from a close companion, and the place is suggested through Robe River in Mutsu, named in the poem.
The direct occasion is not recorded.
Koromogawa is a poetic place in Mutsu, a river flowing near the boundary of present-day Ōshū and Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture into the Kitakami River, and because of its name it was sung together with words related to robes such as sleeves.

The first line, "koromogawa," is a poetic place name in Mutsu. The word "robe" in the river's name calls up the words related to clothing that follow, such as sleeve.
In the second line, "minareshi hito no," "minare" plays on growing familiar through seeing and "mizunare," a robe growing used to water, and it is related to Robe River. The long familiarity with the person is laid over a robe steeped in the river.
The third line, "wakare ni wa," means "at a parting," the particle "wa" singling out that moment.
The fourth line, "tamoto made koso," means "even to the sleeves," the particle "koso" forming a concord with the perfective form "kere" in the last line. The exaggeration of the river's waves reaching the sleeves expresses sleeves wet with tears.
The last line, "nami wa tachikere," means "the waves have risen," closing in the perfective form in response to "koso." "Tachi" plays on waves rising and cloth being cut, and Robe River, sleeves, and cutting run through the poem as words related to clothing. Following 863 and 864, which exchanged poems through a robe and "tatsu," this poem too speaks of parting tears with words related to robes and "tachi," so the poems are arranged through association of the same words.

Author

Minamoto no Shigeyuki

Source

Shin Kokin Wakashu

Other