名取川瀬々のむもれ木あらはれば
いかにせむとかあひ見そめけむ
いかにせむとかあひ見そめけむ
- Roma-ji
-
Natorigawa seze no mumoregi arawareba ika ni semu to ka aimisomekemu
- English Translation
-
Like the sunken logs
in the shoals of Natori River,
if our love comes to light,
what did we think we would do,
when first we came to meet
- Meaning
- If our love should surface like the sunken logs in the shallows of the Natori River, what did we ever mean to do when we first began to meet?
- Commentary
-
Book Thirteen Love Poems III 650
Headnote: "Topic unknown."
Like logs buried in the riverbed of the Natori rising to the surface, if their hidden love became known, what did they think they would do when they began to meet? The name Natori echoes "to gain a reputation," and the river scene of the upper verse leads into the anxiety of love in the lower.
The author is recorded as anonymous, and the name has not come down to us.
Poem 628 in this book also names the Natori River, lamenting a groundless rumor; this one differs in fearing that a real love will come to light.
The second line of the text reads mumoregi, which does not match umoreki in the kana reading line; here the text is followed.
The first line, "natorigawa," is a poetic place in Michinoku, its name echoing "to gain a reputation."
The second line, "seze no mumoregi," means "sunken logs in the shallows," a figure for a love hidden from others.
The third line, "arawareba," means "if they should surface," overlaying the logs rising to the surface with love becoming known.
The fourth line, "ika ni semu to ka," means "thinking what to do," with ka raising a question resolved in the last line.
The final line, "aimisomekemu," means "did we begin to meet?" closing the ka construction with the attributive of the past conjectural kemu.
- Author
- Unknown Poet
- Source
- Kokin Wakashu
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Kimi ga na mo waga na mo tateji naniwa naru mitsu tomo iu na aiki tomo iwaji
- Next Poem
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Yoshinogawa mizu no kokoro wa hayaku tomo taki no oto ni wa tateji to zo omou