Kataito o konata kanata ni yorikakete awazu wa nani o tama no o ni semu - Kokin Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

片糸をこなたかなたに縒りかけて
あはずは何を玉の緒にせむ

Roma-ji: Kataito o konata kanata ni yorikakete awazu wa nani o tama no o ni semu
English Translation: Single strands of thread
twisted from this side and that
if they never join
what then could I ever use
as the cord that holds my life
Meaning: Just as single strands must be twisted together from this side and that, if we two never meet, what could I use as the thread that holds my life?
Commentary: Book Eleven Love Poems I 483

Headnote: "Topic unknown"
This poem overlays the twisting of two single strands into one thread with a man and woman drawing their hearts together to meet. Just as untwisted thread cannot serve as the cord for stringing jewels, if the two do not meet there is nothing to hold the poet's life together. Built on a chain of words associated with thread, it earnestly expresses the wish for love's fulfillment.

First line, "Single strands of thread": kataito is a single strand before twisting, hinting at a lover still alone.
Second line, "twisted from this side and that": konata kanata ni means here and there, showing the two drawing their hearts together from either side.
Third line, "yorikakete": the phrase means twisting the threads together, overlaid with hearts drawing close.
Fourth line, "what then could I ever use": awa is a pivot word meaning both threads "joining" and people "meeting." Zu wa means "if not."
Fifth line, "as the cord that holds my life": tama no o means both the cord that strings jewels and life itself. Single strand, twist, join, and cord are all words associated with thread, unifying the whole poem in that image.
Author: Unknown Poet
Source: Kokin Wakashu
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