篝火の影となる身のわびしきは
流れて下に燃ゆるなりけり
流れて下に燃ゆるなりけり
- Roma-ji
-
Kagaribi no kage to naru mi no wabishiki wa nagarete shita ni moyuru narikeri
- English Translation
-
Like the cresset's shadow
this body of mine, and how it aches
for its sorrow is
though swept along by tears
still to burn beneath the stream
- Meaning
- The sorrow of this body, become like the reflection of a cresset on the water, is that even as it flows with tears, it goes on burning beneath the surface.
- Commentary
-
Book Eleven Love Poems I 530
Headnote: "Topic unknown"
The poem sings of the ache of a body that, like the reflection of a cresset on the river, burns on with love in the depths of the heart while swept along by tears. The reflected flame, which seems to burn beneath the flowing water, is overlaid with a love that burns unseen. Paired with the preceding poem, 529, it deepens the love poems entrusted to the cresset.
First line, "Like the cresset's shadow": like the preceding poem, 529, it refers to the cresset lit on the night river.
Second line, "this body of mine, and how it aches": kage to naru mi no, a body become like the cresset's reflection. Like "I have wasted to a shadow" in poem 528 of this book, it likens the lover to a shadow.
Third line, "for its sorrow is": wabishiki wa means "what is painful is," with the fourth and fifth lines giving its content.
Fourth line, "though swept along by tears": nagarete means both the reflection flowing with the river and being swept along by tears.
Fifth line, "still to burn beneath the stream": moyuru narikeri means "it is to burn," with keri expressing realization. The flame's reflection burning beneath the water is overlaid with a love that burns unseen. Like shitamoe in poem 500 of this book, it sings of love's fire hidden from view.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
- Prev Poem
-
Kagaribi ni aranu waga mi no nazo mo kaku namida no kawa ni ukite moyuramu
- Next Poem
-
Hayaki se ni mirume oiseba waga sode no namida no kawa ni uemashi mono o